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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: present · toast · calf · bay · charge · roll · race · cell

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. charge — in control
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. race — the arms race
  6. present — the time now
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. charge — electricity
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. roll — a list
  12. race — humankind
  13. present — there
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. charge — a price
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cell — in biology
  18. roll — a cake
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. toast — bread
  21. race — a contest
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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