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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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Word bank
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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. kick — in football
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. charge — electricity
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. ball — a great time
  10. sharp — clever
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. charge — in control
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. lean — thin
  17. lean — to bend
  18. ball — a dance
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. leaves — lets stay

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