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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 protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. cue — a hint
  4. swing — to play on
  5. swing — music
  6. band — a ring
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. charge — a price
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cue — a signal
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. swing — in golf
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cue — for pool
  24. band — a music group

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