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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: season · wave · saw · wake · plane · pound · charge · kick

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. season — of the year
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — in control
  11. wake — a trail
  12. saw — the tool
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. kick — in football
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pound — a weight
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. season — in sport
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. plane — a tool

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