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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: chip · kid · pit · safe · mug · calf · pop · row

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. chip — to eat
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. pop — to visit
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. row — a line
  7. kid — child
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. pop — soda
  12. mug — a face
  13. kid — to tease
  14. pit — a hole
  15. row — to paddle
  16. pit — in a race
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. chip — for betting
  19. pop — music
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. mug — a cup
  24. row — a quarrel

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