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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.

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: cell · calf · mouse · saw · cap · roll · chip · can

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. cell — a phone
  3. roll — a list
  4. saw — the tool
  5. can — a tin
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. cap — of ice
  9. roll — a cake
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. cell — in biology
  12. can — a tin
  13. chip — to eat
  14. can — to be able to
  15. saw — the tool
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. cap — a lid
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. cap — a hat
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. chip — for betting
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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