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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: ball · roll · calf · bulb · chip · last · staff · wave

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. last — to go on
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. last — final
  8. last — finally
  9. staff — a stick
  10. chip — for betting
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. bulb — for light
  13. ball — a great time
  14. staff — employees
  15. staff — employees
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ball — a dance
  18. chip — to eat
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. roll — a list
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. calf — of the leg

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