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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. roll — a cake
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. present — a gift
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. charge — in control
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. charge — electricity
  9. swing — to play on
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. craft — boats
  13. mate — a partner
  14. present — the time now
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. present — there
  19. charge — a price
  20. mate — to breed
  21. swing — in golf
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mate — a friend
  24. roll — a list

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