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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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Word bank
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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. season — of the year
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. charge — in control
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. charge — a price
  11. bark — to shout
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. staff — employees
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. tube — a container
  16. dip — to sink
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — the underground
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. staff — employees
  23. season — in sport
  24. staff — a stick

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