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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. charge — in control
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. row — to paddle
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chair — a leader
  20. charge — a price
  21. row — a line
  22. kick — in football
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. hide — to keep secret

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