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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bulb — for light
  3. clip — for paper
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. clip — a video
  9. charge — a price
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. charge — in control
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. chair — a leader
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. clip — to cut
  18. charge — electricity
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a cup
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. mug — a face

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