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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. object — to protest
  4. kick — in football
  5. face — part of the head
  6. object — an aim
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. object — a thing
  9. charge — a price
  10. kid — to tease
  11. charge — electricity
  12. face — to point toward
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pitch — completely
  15. face — to confront
  16. charge — in control
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. kid — child
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rush — hurry
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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