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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rule — government
  4. pop — to visit
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. charge — a price
  10. mine — for digging
  11. charge — in control
  12. pop — music
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. rule — a law
  15. fine — all right
  16. pop — soda
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mark — a trace
  20. rest — a break
  21. mark — a grade
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. lie — to recline

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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