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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. charge — electricity
  5. shower — to wash
  6. charge — in control
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. present — there
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. charge — a price
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. shower — rain
  14. ground — a position
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. present — a gift
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. ground — the earth
  19. ground — crushed
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. present — the time now
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. nail — for a hammer

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