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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — electricity
  7. stand — to bear
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. fine — all right
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. hand — help
  14. foot — a measure
  15. lie — to recline
  16. hand — in cards
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  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