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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. mug — a cup
  3. charge — a price
  4. file — a tool
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. race — a contest
  8. mug — a face
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — there
  11. race — humankind
  12. charge — in control
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. charge — electricity
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. race — the arms race
  18. mug — to rob
  19. present — the time now
  20. file — a line of people
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. file — a document
  23. plane — a tool
  24. hide — to keep secret

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