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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 116 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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — electricity
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. object — an aim
  6. game — wild animals
  7. ball — a great time
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ball — a dance
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. charge — in control
  16. mug — to rob
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. mug — a face
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. game — a match
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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