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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. charge — a price
  3. object — an aim
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. object — to protest
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. club — for golf
  14. club — a group
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cell — in biology
  18. club — for dancing
  19. object — a thing
  20. kick — in football
  21. charge — in control
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. charge — electricity

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