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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 120 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. saw — the tool
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. club — a group
  6. staff — employees
  7. hand — help
  8. staff — employees
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. saw — the tool
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. fall — the season
  14. club — for golf
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — to drop
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. staff — a stick
  20. hand — in cards
  21. charge — electricity
  22. snap — to click
  23. club — for dancing
  24. charge — a price

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