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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: cabinet · land · calf · race · chip · pit · rash · firm

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. race — humankind
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rash — hasty
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. firm — steady
  10. land — to come down
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. race — a contest
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. firm — a company
  18. rash — a series
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. land — ground
  22. firm — decided
  23. race — the arms race
  24. land — a country

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