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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. bat — the animal
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. chest — a box
  9. foot — a measure
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. charge — a price
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. kick — in football
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rest — what's left
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. rest — a break
  22. pass — a permit
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. chest — of your body

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