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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. land — a country
  3. march — the month
  4. charge — a price
  5. march — the month
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. kick — in football
  8. roll — a list
  9. charge — in control
  10. land — to come down
  11. object — to protest
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. object — a thing
  14. charge — electricity
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. march — music
  17. track — a path
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. roll — a cake
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. track — to keep track
  22. land — ground
  23. object — an aim
  24. track — a song

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