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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 116 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: chip · racket · sharp · cabinet · calf · trunk · track · mouse

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. track — a path
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. chip — for betting
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. track — a song
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — clever
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. chip — to eat
  19. track — to keep track
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. sharp — exactly

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