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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: snap · rest · calf · foot · club · chip · present · dip

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. snap — to click
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. club — for golf
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. foot — a measure
  7. rest — what's left
  8. dip — to sink
  9. club — a group
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. rest — a break
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. chip — to eat
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. present — the time now
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. rest — what's left
  22. present — a gift
  23. club — for dancing
  24. calf — a young animal

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