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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 did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. net — in sport
  3. charge — a price
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. tube — a container
  6. tear — to rip
  7. fine — all right
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. tube — the underground
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. pass — a permit
  14. rash — hasty
  15. net — after costs
  16. tear — from crying
  17. charge — electricity
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. tear — from crying
  20. fine — high quality
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. net — for catching
  23. rash — a series
  24. charge — in control

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