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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 116 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: chip · sharp · present · calf · lie · row · tube · spring

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. present — there
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. row — a line
  7. row — to paddle
  8. tube — a container
  9. lie — to recline
  10. spring — of water
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. spring — a coil
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. spring — the season
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. tube — the underground
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. lie — an untruth

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