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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kid — to tease
  4. current — electric
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — crushed
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. kid — child
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bear — the animal
  15. current — happening now
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pitch — completely
  18. chip — to eat
  19. ground — the earth
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com