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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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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: mug · calf · net · jam · charge · bat · stock · lie

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. mug — to rob
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. stock — shares
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mug — a cup
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. bat — the animal
  9. stock — goods
  10. net — in sport
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. net — after costs
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — electricity
  21. net — for catching
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. mug — a face
  24. lie — to recline

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