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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. charge — in control
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. charge — electricity
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. charge — a price
  19. bat — the animal
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. deal — to handle
  23. date — the fruit
  24. leaves — to go away

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