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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
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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: game · calf · suit · charge · hand · row · rush · plane

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. game — a match
  9. row — a line
  10. rush — hurry
  11. hand — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. charge — a price
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. suit — clothes
  16. hand — help
  17. charge — in control
  18. row — to paddle
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. game — wild animals
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. charge — electricity
  24. plane — an aircraft

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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