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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: chip · bear · calf · stick · object · row · pitcher · plane

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. object — a thing
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. row — a line
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. row — to paddle
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. chip — for betting
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. bear — the animal
  15. object — an aim
  16. object — to protest
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. chip — to eat
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. plane — a tool
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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