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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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. scale — size or range
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. charge — electricity
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. root — of a word
  9. current — of water
  10. root — the cause
  11. scale — in music
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. charge — a price
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. charge — in control
  17. root — of a plant
  18. current — happening now
  19. capital — money
  20. capital — a city
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. current — electric
  24. capital — a big letter

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