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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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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. charge — a price
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. pass — a permit
  7. club — for dancing
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. club — a group
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. club — for golf
  14. charge — in control
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. face — to point toward
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. kick — in football

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