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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. track — a path
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. charge — electricity
  7. degree — an amount
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. degree — from a university
  12. track — to keep track
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. track — a song
  15. charge — in control
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. charge — a price
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. degree — temperature

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