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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: fan · root · calf · cabinet · bear · racket · straw · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. root — of a plant
  10. root — of a word
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. chip — to eat
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. root — the cause
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bear — the animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. racket — for tennis

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