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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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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: suit · face · wave · press · charge · kick · game · sharp

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. suit — clothes
  3. face — to point toward
  4. press — a publisher
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. suit — in cards
  7. sharp — clever
  8. face — part of the head
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — in control
  11. suit — to fit
  12. face — to confront
  13. press — to push
  14. game — a match
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. kick — in football
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. press — newspapers
  19. game — wild animals
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. charge — a price

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