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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
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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: firm · tear · mine · chip · ball · pass · calf · fan

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. tear — to rip
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. ball — a great time
  7. firm — steady
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. ball — a dance
  11. tear — from crying
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. chip — for betting
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — a permit
  17. chip — to eat
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. firm — decided
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — for digging
  23. tear — from crying
  24. ball — a round shape

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