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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: bat · chair · safe · ball · rest · wave · charge · kick

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bat — the animal
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. charge — in control
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. ball — a dance
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. kick — in football
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. rest — a break
  21. charge — a price
  22. chair — a leader
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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