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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. squash — the sport
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. land — to come down
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cap — a lid
  9. rest — what's left
  10. can — a tin
  11. cell — in biology
  12. charge — electricity
  13. land — a country
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. cap — a hat
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. land — ground
  18. cap — of ice
  19. charge — in control
  20. squash — to crush
  21. charge — a price
  22. cell — a phone
  23. rest — a break
  24. calf — of the leg

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