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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 116 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 giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — a price
  4. pop — to visit
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. last — to go on
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — a weight
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. last — final
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. last — finally
  19. pop — music
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. charge — in control
  24. pop — soda

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