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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 120 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: foot · swing · ruler · mate · mine · calf · last · charge

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mate — a friend
  3. foot — a measure
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. swing — music
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — in golf
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. last — final
  16. charge — in control
  17. mate — a partner
  18. last — finally
  19. charge — electricity
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. last — to go on
  22. charge — a price
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. foot — part of the body

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