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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. shower — to wash
  4. cap — a lid
  5. lean — thin
  6. cap — a hat
  7. cap — of ice
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. charge — in control
  10. court — for sport
  11. season — of the year
  12. lean — to bend
  13. present — the time now
  14. charge — a price
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. season — in sport
  18. court — of a king
  19. charge — electricity
  20. present — a gift
  21. court — of law
  22. shower — rain
  23. present — there
  24. season — to add flavour

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