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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a lid
  4. charge — in control
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. press — to push
  8. lie — to recline
  9. charge — electricity
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. press — newspapers
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. press — a publisher
  18. charge — a price
  19. cap — a hat
  20. chair — a leader
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rock — music
  24. plane — a tool

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