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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. ground — crushed
  4. fine — high quality
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. charge — a price
  7. kick — in football
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bulb — for light
  11. charge — electricity
  12. fall — the season
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. fine — all right
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. charge — in control
  17. ground — a position
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rush — hurry
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. ground — the earth
  24. fall — to drop

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