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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 120 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
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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: net · calf · lie · chip · fall · mate · lean · track

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. net — after costs
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. track — a song
  7. chip — to eat
  8. lean — to bend
  9. track — to keep track
  10. mate — to breed
  11. fall — to drop
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lean — thin
  15. mate — a friend
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — for catching
  19. lie — to recline
  20. mate — a partner
  21. track — a path
  22. fall — the season
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. lie — an untruth

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