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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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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. charge — in control
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. kick — in football
  10. charge — electricity
  11. season — of the year
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cap — a lid
  15. charge — a price
  16. cap — a hat
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cap — of ice
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — in a race
  24. season — in sport

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