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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. suit — clothes
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. charge — electricity
  5. present — the time now
  6. suit — in cards
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lie — to recline
  9. scale — in music
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. wound — an injury
  14. charge — in control
  15. dip — to sink
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. suit — to fit
  20. scale — size or range
  21. charge — a price
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. present — there
  24. present — a gift

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