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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. squash — to crush
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. squash — the sport
  6. fork — in a road
  7. suit — to fit
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. mug — a cup
  11. charge — electricity
  12. suit — in cards
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. charge — in control
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mug — a face
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. charge — a price
  23. suit — clothes
  24. leaves — of a tree

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