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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.

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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. kick — in football
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. charge — in control
  9. drill — army training
  10. bear — the animal
  11. drill — a practice
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bear — the animal
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. rush — hurry
  16. cell — a phone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. drill — the tool
  21. charge — a price
  22. cell — in biology
  23. rock — music
  24. charge — electricity

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