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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. charge — in control
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bear — the animal
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. charge — a price
  7. fine — all right
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. bear — the animal
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. band — a ring
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. track — to keep track
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. band — a music group
  19. track — a path
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. fine — high quality
  22. charge — electricity
  23. tube — a container
  24. track — a song

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