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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 116 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 · calf · bulb · suit · ground · lie · ball · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. ball — a great time
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bulb — for light
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lie — to recline
  7. ball — a dance
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ground — a position
  16. staff — employees
  17. ground — crushed
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. chip — for betting
  21. staff — a stick
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ground — the earth

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