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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. file — a tool
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. spring — of water
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. file — a line of people
  7. chair — a leader
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. spring — a coil
  10. club — for dancing
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. charge — electricity
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. club — a group
  15. charge — a price
  16. bear — the animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. spring — the season
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. file — a document
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. charge — in control
  23. club — for golf
  24. bear — the animal

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