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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. charge — electricity
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. race — the arms race
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. staff — employees
  7. race — humankind
  8. swing — music
  9. race — a contest
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. staff — a stick
  15. charge — a price
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. charge — in control
  18. swing — in golf
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. dip — to sink
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. staff — employees

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