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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 116 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. charge — electricity
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pop — music
  6. spring — the season
  7. pop — to visit
  8. spring — of water
  9. rest — a break
  10. spring — a coil
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. cue — for pool
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. rest — what's left
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. cue — a hint
  18. cue — a signal

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