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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. lean — to bend
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. charge — in control
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. lean — thin
  12. fall — to drop
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mine — for digging
  17. fall — to drop
  18. charge — a price
  19. chip — to eat
  20. fall — the season
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. chip — for betting
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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