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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. object — to protest
  4. tube — a container
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. stand — to bear
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. object — an aim
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. shower — to wash
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. shower — rain
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. object — a thing
  17. tube — the underground
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — to breed
  20. charge — a price
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. charge — in control
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. charge — electricity

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