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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. charge — electricity
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. dip — to sink
  7. game — wild animals
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — in control
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. last — finally
  12. kick — in football
  13. last — final
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pit — in a race
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. game — a match
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — a hole
  24. fan — to cool the air

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