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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · cap · land · branch · calf · charge · hide · suit

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. suit — clothes
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. land — ground
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. suit — in cards
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. suit — to fit
  11. land — to come down
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. charge — a price
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. land — a country
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. cap — a hat
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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