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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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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: date · plane · band · chip · cell · object · calf · rest

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. plane — a tool
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. rest — a break
  5. cell — in biology
  6. date — the fruit
  7. cell — a phone
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. band — a ring
  10. object — to protest
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rest — what's left
  16. chip — for betting
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. band — a music group
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. object — an aim
  21. chip — to eat
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. object — a thing
  24. rest — what's left

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