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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: kick · staff · wave · content · charge · present

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. staff — employees
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. content — happy
  7. staff — a stick
  8. charge — electricity
  9. content — the amount
  10. present — there
  11. staff — employees
  12. charge — a price
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. present — a gift
  16. charge — in control
  17. present — the time now
  18. wave — with your hand

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