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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fine · land · hide · calf · arm · straw · charge · rush

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. charge — a price
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rush — hurry
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. charge — in control
  11. fine — high quality
  12. land — a country
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fine — all right
  18. land — ground
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. land — to come down
  24. hide — to keep secret

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