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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: pit · trunk · object · firm · calf · pop · chip · fall

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. object — an aim
  5. fall — to drop
  6. firm — decided
  7. fall — to drop
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pit — in a race
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. object — a thing
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pop — soda
  15. pit — a hole
  16. fall — the season
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — steady
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. chip — for betting
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. object — to protest
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. pop — music

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