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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.

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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. charge — electricity
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. charge — in control
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. bulb — for light
  7. last — to go on
  8. ball — a great time
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. cue — for pool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. last — final
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. bulb — for light
  17. last — finally
  18. kick — in football
  19. ball — a dance
  20. cue — a signal
  21. bat — the animal
  22. cue — a hint
  23. saw — the tool
  24. charge — a price

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