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

Word bank: saw · chip · deal · calf · mate · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. mate — a partner
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. chip — for betting
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. chip — to eat
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. mate — to breed
  16. mate — a friend
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. deal — to handle

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