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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.

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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: cabinet · chip · calf · nail · hide · coach · bear · rush

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. bear — the animal
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rush — hurry
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chip — for betting
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. chip — to eat

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