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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: calf · wave · bark · pitcher · chip · mark · ball · rule

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rule — government
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bark — to shout
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. rule — a law
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mark — a trace
  20. ball — a dance
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a grade
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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