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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. kick — in football
  3. object — a thing
  4. present — there
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. face — part of the head
  9. present — the time now
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. charge — a price
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. charge — electricity
  15. face — to point toward
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. face — to confront
  18. object — to protest
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. rush — hurry
  22. charge — in control
  23. prune — to trim
  24. object — an aim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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