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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. face — to point toward
  3. charge — in control
  4. kick — in football
  5. rock — music
  6. charge — a price
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mark — a trace
  10. land — ground
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. face — part of the head
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. bass — low music
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. land — a country
  21. land — to come down
  22. face — to confront
  23. bass — the fish
  24. kick — with a leg

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