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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. charge — electricity
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. kick — in football
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. wind — moving air
  8. clip — a video
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. charge — in control
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. clip — for paper
  15. wind — moving air
  16. charge — a price
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — thin
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. chair — a leader
  23. clip — to cut
  24. leaves — lets stay

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