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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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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 · calf · patient · pound · bear · spell · arm · cap

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. cap — a lid
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. spell — magic
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. chip — to eat
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. chip — for betting
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — a weight
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bear — the animal
  19. spell — a short time
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. spell — letters

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