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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. charge — a price
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. fall — the season
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. charge — electricity
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. charge — in control
  19. fall — to drop
  20. ball — a great time
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. kick — in football
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ball — a dance

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