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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — a position
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. charge — in control
  5. present — there
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. ground — the earth
  8. present — a gift
  9. firm — steady
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. present — the time now
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. charge — a price
  17. firm — a company
  18. kid — child
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. kid — to tease
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. firm — decided
  24. charge — electricity

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