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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 116 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. charge — a price
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. land — to come down
  11. charge — electricity
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. suit — in cards
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. land — a country
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. land — ground
  22. snap — to click
  23. deal — to handle
  24. charge — in control

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