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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. charge — electricity
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. land — ground
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. land — to come down
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. charge — in control
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bat — the animal
  15. land — a country
  16. saw — the tool
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. dip — to sink

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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