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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. hand — in cards
  3. season — of the year
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. charge — in control
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. season — in sport
  10. charge — a price
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — high quality
  16. rule — government
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. hand — help
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — a football final

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