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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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. charge — in control
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rock — a stone
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. fine — all right
  9. charge — electricity
  10. cap — a hat
  11. fine — high quality
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bat — the animal
  14. charge — a price
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. cap — a lid
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rock — music
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. cap — of ice
  23. pitch — completely
  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