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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. foot — a measure
  4. swing — in golf
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. band — a music group
  7. charge — in control
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. mug — a face
  10. swing — music
  11. charge — a price
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. swing — to play on
  15. kick — in football
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — to rob
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. band — a ring
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. band — a rubber band

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