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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bank — of a river
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. charge — in control
  6. track — to keep track
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. bank — for money
  11. row — to paddle
  12. row — a line
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. charge — a price
  15. pitch — completely
  16. chest — a box
  17. track — a song
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bank — for money
  20. charge — electricity
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. chest — of your body
  24. track — a path

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