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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. kick — in football
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. charge — in control
  9. prune — to trim
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. charge — electricity
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. object — to protest
  18. prune — to trim
  19. drill — the tool
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — a thing
  23. drill — a practice
  24. drill — army training

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