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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stand · spell · roll · mug · bat · kick · chip · calf

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. stand — to bear
  4. chip — for betting
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. spell — magic
  10. mug — to rob
  11. spell — letters
  12. chip — to eat
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. roll — a cake
  15. spell — a short time
  16. kick — in football
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. roll — a list
  20. mug — a face
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. mug — a cup
  24. bat — the animal

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