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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. swing — music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. game — wild animals
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. charge — a price
  9. game — a match
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. swing — to play on
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. charge — electricity
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. swing — in golf
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. charge — in control
  24. season — of the year

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