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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. swing — music
  4. cell — a phone
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. charge — a price
  7. branch — a division
  8. swing — in golf
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cell — in biology
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. swing — to play on
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. charge — in control
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. board — a committee
  23. board — to get on
  24. mouse — the 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