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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. rest — a break
  3. charge — a price
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rest — what's left
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. fork — in a road
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. content — happy
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. content — the amount
  12. charge — electricity
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. tube — a container
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. charge — in control
  19. tube — the underground
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. fall — to drop
  22. rest — what's left
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. fork — to eat with

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