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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: kick · bear · mate · calf · deal · hide · chip · staff

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. staff — employees
  3. bear — the animal
  4. staff — employees
  5. chip — for betting
  6. mate — a partner
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mate — to breed
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bear — the animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. mate — a friend
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. kick — in football

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