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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 116 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — a price
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. charge — in control
  6. track — a path
  7. wound — an injury
  8. race — the arms race
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lie — to recline
  12. present — a gift
  13. track — a song
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. race — humankind
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. race — a contest
  19. present — there
  20. track — to keep track
  21. present — the time now
  22. wound — an injury
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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