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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. charge — electricity
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. pop — music
  5. tube — the underground
  6. pop — to visit
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. key — in music
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. squash — the sport
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. squash — to crush
  13. kick — in football
  14. charge — in control
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. charge — a price
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pop — soda
  21. key — the most important part
  22. tube — a container
  23. key — for a lock
  24. tube — in a tire

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