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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.

Make a worksheet

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: land · date · sharp · calf · chip · foot · bay · mine

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. sharp — clever
  6. chip — for betting
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. land — a country
  9. date — the fruit
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. foot — a measure
  18. land — to come down
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. land — ground
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. calf — a young animal

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