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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. wound — an injury
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. charge — electricity
  7. suit — in cards
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. charge — in control
  10. swing — in golf
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wound — an injury
  14. suit — clothes
  15. swing — to play on
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. charge — a price
  18. swing — music

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