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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 120 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. charge — in control
  9. court — of law
  10. snap — to click
  11. court — for sport
  12. cue — a hint
  13. charge — electricity
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. cap — a lid
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cue — a signal
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. court — of a king
  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