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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
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: game · wound · chip · mouse · rest · fan · calf · stem

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. game — a match
  4. rest — what's left
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. chip — for betting
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. chip — to eat
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. rest — a break
  16. rest — what's left
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. game — wild animals
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wound — an injury
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. wound — an injury

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