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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. cell — a phone
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. charge — a price
  13. cell — in biology
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pitch — completely
  18. fall — to drop
  19. charge — in control
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. fall — the season
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. jam — in traffic

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