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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. saw — the tool
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bound — obliged
  6. charge — a price
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bound — tied together
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bound — certain
  16. charge — in control
  17. lean — thin
  18. key — for a lock
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. object — an aim
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. key — in music
  24. charge — electricity

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