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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.

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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — size or range
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. kid — child
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. bank — of a river
  10. key — in music
  11. charge — a price
  12. kid — to tease
  13. bank — for money
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. scale — in music
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bank — for money
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — electricity
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. kick — a thrill

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