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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 120 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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. stand — to bear
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. kick — in football
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. craft — a skill
  10. charge — a price
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. charge — in control
  15. wind — moving air
  16. tube — the underground
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. charge — electricity
  20. tube — a container
  21. wind — moving air
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. craft — boats
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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