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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: calf · hide · race · ball · saw · charge · mug · tear

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. ball — a great time
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. tear — from crying
  5. race — the arms race
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. charge — in control
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. tear — from crying
  12. race — a contest
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — a cup
  15. charge — a price
  16. race — humankind
  17. mug — to rob
  18. tear — to rip
  19. saw — the tool
  20. charge — electricity
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. ball — a dance

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