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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 116 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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bear — the animal
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bear — the animal
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. scale — size or range
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. sharp — clever
  23. tube — a container
  24. scale — in music

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