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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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. charge — in control
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. shower — rain
  6. charge — a price
  7. staff — a stick
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to point toward
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. face — to confront
  12. charge — electricity
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. staff — employees
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. staff — employees

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