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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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Word bank
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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. mug — a face
  4. kick — in football
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mug — to rob
  7. degree — an amount
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. staff — a stick
  11. mug — a cup
  12. degree — from a university
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. charge — electricity
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. degree — temperature
  18. charge — in control
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — a safe
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. craft — boats

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