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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. charge — a price
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. wound — an injury
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wind — moving air
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. charge — in control
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. charge — electricity
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chip — for betting
  22. pass — a permit
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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