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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wind · scale · plane · calf · game · chip · rule · hide

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. wind — moving air
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. chip — to eat
  11. wind — moving air
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. rule — a law
  16. scale — size or range
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. game — a match
  19. rule — government
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. scale — in music
  23. chip — for betting
  24. plane — a tool

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