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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 124 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. spell — magic
  3. snap — to click
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — in football
  8. spell — a short time
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. present — there
  11. charge — in control
  12. present — the time now
  13. prune — to trim
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. charge — a price
  16. spell — letters
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. charge — electricity
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. present — a gift
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. prune — to trim
  24. kick — a thrill

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