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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: swing · ground · lean · mate · spring · present · calf · charge

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. charge — electricity
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. present — there
  6. ground — the earth
  7. charge — in control
  8. ground — crushed
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. swing — music
  11. spring — the season
  12. present — a gift
  13. lean — to bend
  14. spring — of water
  15. mate — a friend
  16. lean — thin
  17. mate — to breed
  18. swing — in golf
  19. spring — a coil
  20. mate — a partner
  21. swing — to play on
  22. charge — a price
  23. ground — a position
  24. present — the time now

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