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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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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pit — a hole
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. row — to paddle
  9. charge — a price
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. pit — in a race
  13. kid — child
  14. mine — for digging
  15. saw — the tool
  16. row — a line
  17. kid — to tease
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. charge — electricity
  21. saw — the tool
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. mine — belonging to me

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