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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. lean — to bend
  5. mark — a grade
  6. charge — electricity
  7. mark — a trace
  8. spring — of water
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — in control
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. mate — a partner
  16. stand — to bear
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — the season
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. lean — thin
  22. mate — a friend
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. racket — for tennis

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