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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. charge — electricity
  3. capital — a city
  4. mark — a grade
  5. swing — to play on
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. charge — in control
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rock — music
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. charge — a price
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. capital — money
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bulb — for light
  20. swing — music
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. rock — a stone
  23. mark — a trace
  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