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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. tear — to rip
  4. tear — from crying
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. current — electric
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. tear — from crying
  10. toast — bread
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. charge — in control
  13. ground — a position
  14. charge — electricity
  15. ground — crushed
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. charge — a price
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. current — of water
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. ground — the earth
  24. current — happening now

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