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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: safe · object · roll · wind · tear · calf · chip · pound

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. wind — moving air
  3. roll — a list
  4. object — to protest
  5. chip — for betting
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. pound — a weight
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. tear — to rip
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. object — an aim
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. wind — moving air
  15. object — a thing
  16. chip — to eat
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. tear — from crying
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. roll — a cake

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