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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: pop · chip · calf · leaves · object · game · swing · firm

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. object — an aim
  3. chip — for betting
  4. game — a match
  5. pop — to visit
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. firm — steady
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. object — to protest
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. firm — decided
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — music
  14. firm — a company
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. swing — to play on
  17. chip — to eat
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. pop — music
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. object — a thing
  22. pop — soda
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. leaves — to go away

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