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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 120 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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. charge — electricity
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bound — obliged
  9. land — ground
  10. bound — certain
  11. kick — in football
  12. firm — a company
  13. land — a country
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bound — tied together
  17. charge — a price
  18. firm — decided
  19. land — to come down
  20. charge — in control
  21. mark — a trace
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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