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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. row — a line
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. key — the most important part
  6. date — the fruit
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. charge — electricity
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. mine — for digging
  11. row — to paddle
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. sharp — clever
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. firm — a company
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. firm — decided
  19. charge — in control
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. firm — steady
  22. charge — a price
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. row — a quarrel

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