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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 124 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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. charge — a price
  4. pitch — completely
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. suit — to fit
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. chest — a box
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. charge — in control
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. chest — of your body

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