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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. bass — low music
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. rush — hurry
  11. suit — clothes
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. kick — in football
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bass — the fish
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. charge — in control

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