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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: row · bat · trunk · charge · foot · kick · fan · fine

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. foot — a measure
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. kick — in football
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. charge — a price
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. row — to paddle
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — all right
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. charge — in control
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. row — a line
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. charge — electricity
  24. foot — part of the 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