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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. charge — in control
  4. present — there
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. charge — electricity
  7. spell — letters
  8. present — a gift
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. charge — a price
  11. spell — magic
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. content — happy
  15. lie — to recline
  16. present — the time now
  17. roll — a list
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. content — the amount
  21. roll — a cake
  22. spell — a short time
  23. cell — a phone
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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