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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mate — to breed
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bear — the animal
  8. charge — electricity
  9. mate — a partner
  10. kick — in football
  11. lean — to bend
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — a price
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — part of the head
  17. ball — a dance
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. lean — thin
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. ball — a great time
  22. face — to point toward
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ball — a round shape

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