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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: deal · charge · arm · calf · racket · wave · swing · bound

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. charge — a price
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. deal — to handle
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. swing — music
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. charge — electricity
  12. swing — in golf
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. swing — to play on
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. charge — in control
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. deal — an agreement

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