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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: hand · object · chip · calf · pit · prune · sharp · cue

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — help
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. object — a thing
  6. object — to protest
  7. cue — a hint
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. cue — a signal
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pit — a hole
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pit — in a race
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. prune — to trim
  19. object — an aim
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cue — for pool
  24. chip — for betting

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