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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.

Words on the sheet
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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. mug — a face
  4. charge — a price
  5. ground — the earth
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. ground — crushed
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. press — a publisher
  11. charge — in control
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. land — to come down
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. press — newspapers
  18. land — a country
  19. land — ground
  20. ground — a position
  21. kick — in football
  22. mug — to rob
  23. press — to push
  24. bowl — a football final

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