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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: stick · leaves · calf · lie · jam · mouse · row · chip

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. chip — to eat
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. lie — to recline
  11. chip — for betting
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — a line
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. row — to paddle
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. leaves — lets stay

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