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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. key — the most important part
  6. row — to paddle
  7. net — in sport
  8. swing — in golf
  9. row — a line
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. swing — to play on
  13. swing — music
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. key — for a lock
  17. charge — a price
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — after costs
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. key — in music
  24. saw — the tool

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