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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. season — in sport
  4. kick — in football
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. saw — the tool
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. season — of the year
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. charge — electricity
  11. saw — the tool
  12. cap — of ice
  13. bass — the fish
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. bass — low music
  16. stand — to bear
  17. pop — music
  18. cap — a lid
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — soda
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. cap — a hat
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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