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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: land · saw · calf · charge · hide · cap

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. saw — the tool
  5. land — to come down
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. charge — electricity
  9. cap — of ice
  10. land — a country
  11. land — ground
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — a hat
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. charge — in control
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. charge — a price
  18. saw — the tool

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