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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: firm · nail · mark · deal · pitcher · mate · charge · calf

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mate — a partner
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. charge — electricity
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — to handle
  14. firm — a company
  15. charge — in control
  16. firm — steady
  17. mark — a trace
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. charge — a price
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mate — to breed
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. firm — decided

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