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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 get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. charge — in control
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. firm — decided
  6. game — a match
  7. press — newspapers
  8. firm — a company
  9. charge — electricity
  10. game — wild animals
  11. press — to push
  12. firm — steady
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. press — a publisher
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. kick — in football
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — to grow
  21. charge — a price
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. lie — to recline

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