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

Word bank: mate · file · rest · leaves · cap · charge · arm · kick

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. file — a line of people
  4. mate — to breed
  5. charge — electricity
  6. rest — a break
  7. kick — in football
  8. mate — a friend
  9. charge — in control
  10. file — a document
  11. cap — a lid
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. charge — a price
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. file — a tool
  18. cap — of ice
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mate — a partner
  21. cap — a hat
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. rest — what's left
  24. arm — 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