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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: racket · court · deal · calf · chip · cell · toast · squash

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. chip — to eat
  4. cell — a phone
  5. chip — for betting
  6. court — for sport
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. toast — bread
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. squash — the sport
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. cell — in biology
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. squash — to crush
  23. court — of a king
  24. court — of law

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