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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. pop — music
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pop — to visit
  5. charge — in control
  6. court — for sport
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. charge — a price
  10. pop — soda
  11. land — a country
  12. court — of a king
  13. land — ground
  14. land — to come down
  15. court — of law
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. charge — electricity
  18. sharp — clever
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. sharp — exactly

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