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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. chest — of your body
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. chest — of your body
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. kick — in football
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. charge — in control
  10. charge — a price
  11. object — an aim
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. object — a thing
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. charge — electricity
  17. key — in music
  18. key — for a lock
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. key — the most important part
  23. chest — a box
  24. mouse — the animal

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