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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 120 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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. can — a tin
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. can — to be able to
  7. kick — in football
  8. charge — in control
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. sharp — clever
  12. can — a tin
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. chest — a box
  19. chest — of your body
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pound — a weight
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. charge — a price

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