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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. ground — crushed
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rock — a stone
  7. ground — a position
  8. rock — music
  9. charge — electricity
  10. ground — the earth
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. charge — in control
  18. lean — thin
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. charge — a price
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. lean — to bend
  24. fall — the season

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