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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 120 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: mouse · rash · firm · can · bound · calf · chip · clip

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. clip — for paper
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bound — tied together
  8. chip — to eat
  9. can — to be able to
  10. rash — a series
  11. can — a tin
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. clip — to cut
  14. can — a tin
  15. bound — obliged
  16. rash — hasty
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. firm — steady
  19. clip — a video
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. firm — decided
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bound — certain

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