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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 · firm · calf · shower · hide · craft · trunk · pitcher

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. chip — for betting
  4. firm — a company
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. firm — decided
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. chip — to eat
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. shower — rain
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. craft — a skill
  20. shower — to wash
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. craft — boats
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. calf — of the leg

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