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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. charge — a price
  4. board — a committee
  5. charge — electricity
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. lie — to recline
  8. board — to get on
  9. rest — a break
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. land — a country
  12. branch — a division
  13. land — ground
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rest — what's left
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. charge — in control
  20. dip — to sink
  21. fork — in a road
  22. land — to come down
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. dip — to dunk

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