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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. charge — a price
  3. bound — obliged
  4. bulb — for light
  5. face — part of the head
  6. current — of water
  7. row — to paddle
  8. lie — to recline
  9. face — to confront
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. charge — in control
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. row — a line
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. current — electric
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. bound — tied together
  18. charge — electricity
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bound — certain
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. face — to point toward
  24. current — happening now

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