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

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. date — the fruit
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. charge — a price
  6. present — there
  7. track — a song
  8. present — a gift
  9. track — to keep track
  10. face — part of the head
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. present — the time now
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. face — to point toward
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. face — to confront
  23. track — a path
  24. ruler — for measuring

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