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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. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. band — a music group
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. charge — electricity
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. charge — in control
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. board — to get on
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. board — a committee
  20. charge — a price
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. tear — to rip
  23. band — a ring
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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