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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 120 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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. tube — the underground
  3. shower — to wash
  4. charge — in control
  5. club — a group
  6. tube — a container
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. suit — clothes
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. charge — electricity
  13. club — for dancing
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. suit — in cards
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. foot — a measure
  18. suit — to fit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. shower — rain
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. pass — a permit
  24. club — for golf

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