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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. squash — to crush
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. season — in sport
  5. rule — a law
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. season — of the year
  9. pass — a permit
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. rule — government
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. wind — moving air
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lean — thin
  19. wind — moving air
  20. lean — to bend
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — electricity
  24. squash — the sport

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