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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.

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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: wind · mug · calf · snap · charge · mark · content · arm

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. wind — moving air
  3. charge — electricity
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. mark — a grade
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. mug — a cup
  11. mug — to rob
  12. wind — moving air
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. content — the amount
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — in control
  21. content — happy
  22. snap — to click
  23. mug — a face
  24. arm — a part of something

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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