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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 124 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. charge — electricity
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. spring — of water
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. charge — in control
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. ball — a great time
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. charge — a price
  14. ball — a dance
  15. can — a tin
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. can — a tin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. spring — a coil
  22. spring — the season
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. rush — hurry

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