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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ball — a great time
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rule — a law
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lean — to bend
  11. charge — electricity
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. season — of the year
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. lean — thin
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. rule — government
  19. season — in sport
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. charge — in control
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. charge — a price

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