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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. suit — in cards
  4. firm — decided
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. charge — in control
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pit — in a race
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. suit — clothes
  12. squash — the sport
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. firm — a company
  15. charge — a price
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. wound — an injury
  20. squash — to crush
  21. pit — a hole
  22. lie — to recline
  23. wax — to grow
  24. firm — steady

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