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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cap — a lid
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bear — the animal
  12. charge — a price
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. drill — army training
  19. charge — electricity
  20. kick — in football
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cap — of ice
  23. drill — a practice
  24. bowl — to roll

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