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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. shower — rain
  6. ball — a great time
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. shower — to wash
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of law
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — a price
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. court — of a king
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. branch — a division

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