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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 120 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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. court — of law
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. court — for sport
  6. plane — a tool
  7. file — a tool
  8. dip — to sink
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. charge — electricity
  13. pop — soda
  14. court — of a king
  15. pop — to visit
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. charge — in control
  19. file — a document
  20. file — a line of people
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. pop — music

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