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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. charge — electricity
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. charge — a price
  12. toast — bread
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. tube — the underground
  16. club — for dancing
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. club — a group
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. charge — in control
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. club — for golf
  24. cabinet — ministers

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