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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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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 · swing · bay · rule · wound · calf · object · nail

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — an aim
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. swing — music
  7. swing — in golf
  8. rule — government
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. swing — to play on
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. rule — a law
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — to eat
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. object — to protest

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