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

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. charge — electricity
  3. rest — what's left
  4. charge — a price
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. fall — the season
  8. rest — a break
  9. lean — to bend
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. press — a publisher
  12. lean — thin
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. land — ground
  16. press — to push
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. press — newspapers
  19. charge — in control
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. land — a country
  22. fall — to drop
  23. land — to come down
  24. rest — what's left

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