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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — electricity
  5. row — to paddle
  6. bound — tied together
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. spring — a coil
  9. spring — of water
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. row — a line
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. bound — obliged
  16. charge — in control
  17. firm — a company
  18. bound — certain
  19. spring — the season
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. kick — a thrill

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