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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. fork — in a road
  3. charge — in control
  4. fine — all right
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pop — soda
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fine — high quality
  10. ground — a position
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. pop — music
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. pop — to visit
  15. charge — a price
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ground — the earth
  18. lie — to recline

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