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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. lean — to bend
  3. face — part of the head
  4. kick — in football
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bark — to shout
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. face — to point toward
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. charge — in control
  15. face — to confront
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. fine — all right
  19. lean — thin
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. fine — high quality

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