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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rock — a stone
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. charge — in control
  7. game — a match
  8. rule — government
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. rule — a law
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rock — music
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. charge — a price
  17. mate — a partner
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. kick — in football
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. game — wild animals
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. charge — electricity

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