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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. row — to paddle
  6. charge — electricity
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. charge — a price
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. deal — to handle
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. stand — to bear
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. row — a line
  19. charge — in control
  20. season — of the year
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. kick — in football

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