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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. chest — of your body
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. can — to be able to
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. charge — a price
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. can — a tin
  13. chest — a box
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — in football
  16. charge — in control
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. chest — of your body

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