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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pit — a hole
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. object — to protest
  6. charge — in control
  7. fine — high quality
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. object — a thing
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cell — in biology
  18. object — an aim
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. pit — in a race
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. kick — in football

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