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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  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 — in control
  2. file — a line of people
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. last — to go on
  5. last — finally
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. last — final
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. file — a tool
  14. charge — a price
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. kick — in football
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. file — a document
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. vault — a safe
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  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