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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. chair — a leader
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. charge — in control
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. charge — electricity
  24. wave — of the sea

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