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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — in control
  3. swing — in golf
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. swing — to play on
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. rash — a series
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. swing — music
  10. tear — from crying
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. charge — electricity
  13. dip — to sink
  14. tear — to rip
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. tear — from crying
  18. rash — hasty
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. kick — in football
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. dip — a sauce

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