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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. press — to push
  6. kick — in football
  7. charge — electricity
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. charge — a price
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. charge — in control
  16. band — a ring
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. stem — to come from
  20. band — a music group
  21. press — a publisher
  22. press — newspapers
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. wave — with your hand

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