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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: kick · calf · pound · game · chip · toast · hand · bear

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. chip — to eat
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pound — a weight
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — in football
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. hand — in cards
  13. game — wild animals
  14. toast — bread
  15. game — a match
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. bear — the animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. hand — help
  21. bear — the animal
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. chip — for betting

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