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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. season — of the year
  7. mark — a grade
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. mine — for digging
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — all right
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. kick — in football
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. season — in sport
  24. wake — before a funeral

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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