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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. shower — to wash
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. charge — electricity
  8. lie — to recline
  9. shower — rain
  10. net — after costs
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. net — in sport
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. charge — a price
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. net — for catching
  22. charge — in control
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. calf — a young animal

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