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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. charge — in control
  4. bat — the animal
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. court — of a king
  8. rash — a series
  9. charge — electricity
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. charge — a price
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. rash — hasty
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. court — for sport
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. rest — what's left
  21. court — of law
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. coach — a trainer

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