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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  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. hand — part of the body
  2. prune — to trim
  3. mug — a cup
  4. charge — a price
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stand — to bear
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. charge — in control
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. charge — electricity
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. hand — help
  15. kick — in football
  16. hand — in cards
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. mug — to rob
  23. kick — with a leg
  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