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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. charge — a price
  3. object — a thing
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. hand — in cards
  7. object — an aim
  8. pop — to visit
  9. deal — to handle
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. hand — help
  12. pop — music
  13. pop — soda
  14. board — a committee
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. object — to protest
  17. board — to get on
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. charge — electricity
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. charge — in control
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. hand — part of the body

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