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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. charge — a price
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. march — the month
  5. charge — electricity
  6. fall — the season
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. fall — to drop
  9. ground — the earth
  10. ground — a position
  11. rush — hurry
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. charge — in control
  18. march — music
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. ground — crushed
  21. march — the month
  22. fall — to drop
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. calf — a young 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