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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: club · chip · ground · calf · snap · pass · staff · can

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. ground — crushed
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — for betting
  6. staff — employees
  7. club — for golf
  8. chip — to eat
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. ground — the earth
  11. staff — employees
  12. club — for dancing
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. staff — a stick
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. can — a tin
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. ground — a position
  21. club — a group
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. pass — to spend time

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