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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. charge — in control
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. tear — from crying
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. cue — for pool
  13. tear — to rip
  14. tear — from crying
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. roll — a list
  17. cue — a signal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cue — a hint
  20. foot — a measure
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. roll — a cake
  23. charge — electricity
  24. calf — of the leg

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