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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: charge · scale · chip · tube · calf · patient · bay · kick

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. kick — in football
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. chip — for betting
  11. scale — size or range
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. scale — in music
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. tube — the underground
  21. chip — to eat
  22. tube — a container
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. bay — a horse colour

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