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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. charge — in control
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. spring — a coil
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. court — of a king
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. charge — electricity
  11. spring — of water
  12. lean — to bend
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. court — for sport
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. court — of law
  22. charge — a price
  23. spring — the season
  24. coach — a trainer

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