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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: rash · press · charge · trunk · calf · plane · game · chip

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. charge — in control
  3. plane — a tool
  4. chip — for betting
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. press — to push
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. charge — a price
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. chip — to eat
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. game — wild animals
  17. rash — a series
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. rash — hasty
  21. press — newspapers
  22. charge — electricity
  23. press — a publisher
  24. game — a match

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