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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: leaves · suit · key · kick · charge · chair · snap · row

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — to paddle
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. key — for a lock
  5. charge — electricity
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. suit — clothes
  12. snap — to click
  13. key — the most important part
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. kick — in football
  17. charge — in control
  18. key — in music
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. charge — a price
  21. chair — a leader
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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