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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: mate · race · leaves · present · calf · chip

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. chip — to eat
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — the time now
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. mate — to breed
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. present — there
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. race — the arms race
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. race — humankind
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. leaves — of a tree

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