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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bound — tied together
  3. ground — crushed
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bat — the animal
  7. object — a thing
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. object — to protest
  10. bound — certain
  11. perch — the fish
  12. firm — steady
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. charge — a price
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — a position
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. firm — decided
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. charge — in control
  22. firm — a company
  23. bound — obliged
  24. calf — of the leg

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