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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. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. court — of a king
  3. land — to come down
  4. charge — electricity
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. charge — in control
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. court — for sport
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. land — a country
  14. kick — in football
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. court — of law
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. foot — a measure
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. land — ground
  22. charge — a price
  23. fork — in a road
  24. fork — to eat with

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