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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. charge — in control
  3. court — for sport
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. charge — a price
  7. face — to point toward
  8. firm — decided
  9. track — to keep track
  10. court — of law
  11. face — to confront
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. court — of a king
  15. face — part of the head
  16. track — a song
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. firm — steady
  19. charge — electricity
  20. track — a path
  21. kick — in football
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. wake — a trail
  24. firm — a company

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