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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.

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: calf · charge · cold · hand · mark · rule · mug · chip

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. chip — to eat
  3. charge — electricity
  4. mark — a trace
  5. hand — in cards
  6. cold — not warm
  7. mug — to rob
  8. charge — a price
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. charge — in control
  11. mug — a face
  12. rule — government
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. chip — for betting
  17. mark — a grade
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. cold — an illness
  22. hand — help
  23. rule — a law
  24. mug — a cup

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