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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. charge — a price
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. charge — electricity
  8. scale — in music
  9. bound — tied together
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. charge — in control
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bound — certain
  15. bat — the animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hand — help
  19. bound — obliged
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. hide — animal skin

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