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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: ball · tube · row · coach · arm · chip · calf · drill

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. drill — army training
  4. ball — a great time
  5. chip — for betting
  6. tube — the underground
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. row — a line
  13. tube — a container
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. drill — the tool
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. drill — a practice
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a dance
  24. arm — part of the body

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