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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. capital — a city
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. charge — a price
  11. craft — boats
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. charge — in control
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bound — obliged
  17. capital — money
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. charge — electricity
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. craft — a skill
  24. hide — animal skin

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