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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. charge — in control
  3. bound — tied together
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. charge — electricity
  7. can — a tin
  8. row — a line
  9. charge — a price
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. cell — a phone
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bound — certain
  14. bound — obliged
  15. track — a song
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. track — a path
  18. cell — in biology
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. row — to paddle
  22. cue — a signal
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cue — for pool

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