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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. kick — in football
  5. club — for golf
  6. fall — to drop
  7. capital — money
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. charge — a price
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. club — a group
  12. charge — electricity
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. charge — in control
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. club — for dancing
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. fall — to drop
  23. capital — a city
  24. calf — a young animal

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