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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.

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: cabinet · can · charge · season · kick · file · present · mouse

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. season — of the year
  3. charge — electricity
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. file — a line of people
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. present — the time now
  8. can — a tin
  9. kick — in football
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. present — there
  13. file — a document
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. season — in sport
  18. file — a tool
  19. can — to be able to
  20. charge — in control
  21. can — a tin
  22. present — a gift
  23. charge — a price
  24. mouse — the animal

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