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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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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: firm · calf · tube · pass · row · ground · club · chip

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. chip — to eat
  4. club — for dancing
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. ground — the earth
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. row — to paddle
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. firm — decided
  14. row — a line
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. club — a group
  17. ground — a position
  18. pass — a permit
  19. tube — the underground
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. club — for golf
  22. firm — a company
  23. firm — steady
  24. tube — a container

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