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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rest — a break
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. suit — to fit
  5. lie — to recline
  6. court — of a king
  7. charge — electricity
  8. court — of law
  9. rule — government
  10. rest — what's left
  11. charge — a price
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. mine — for digging
  16. court — for sport
  17. rule — a law
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rest — what's left
  22. charge — in control
  23. suit — clothes
  24. wax — to grow

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