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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 116 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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. track — a song
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bulb — for light
  5. charge — in control
  6. chip — to eat
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. net — in sport
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. net — for catching
  11. charge — electricity
  12. net — after costs
  13. kick — in football
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. track — to keep track
  18. charge — a price
  19. rush — hurry
  20. bulb — for light
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. track — a path
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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