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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: ground · saw · calf · row · charge · drill · snap · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. snap — to click
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. row — to paddle
  7. drill — the tool
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. charge — in control
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. drill — army training
  13. charge — electricity
  14. ground — a position
  15. drill — a practice
  16. saw — the tool
  17. row — a line
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. ground — crushed
  21. charge — a price
  22. chip — to eat
  23. saw — the tool
  24. ground — the earth

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