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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. charge — electricity
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. can — a tin
  6. march — the month
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. rest — what's left
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. charge — in control
  13. can — to be able to
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. march — music
  16. can — a tin
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. march — the month
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. kick — in football
  21. lie — to recline
  22. dip — to sink
  23. charge — a price
  24. leaves — to go away

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