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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bound — tied together
  6. charge — in control
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. present — there
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. charge — a price
  15. bound — certain
  16. rush — hurry
  17. charge — electricity
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — the time now
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. kick — in football
  22. bound — obliged
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. wave — of the sea

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