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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lean — thin
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. race — the arms race
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. squash — to crush
  11. race — a contest
  12. squash — the sport
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. lean — to bend
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. race — humankind
  18. charge — in control
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. plane — a tool
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. charge — electricity

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