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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. deal — to handle
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. kid — to tease
  8. root — of a plant
  9. charge — in control
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. root — the cause
  12. charge — electricity
  13. clip — to cut
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mug — a cup
  17. root — of a word
  18. clip — a video
  19. charge — a price
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. mug — to rob
  22. kid — child
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. mug — a face

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