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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. staff — a stick
  6. lie — to recline
  7. wound — an injury
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. wind — moving air
  11. charge — electricity
  12. ground — the earth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wound — an injury
  15. wind — moving air
  16. staff — employees
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. staff — employees
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. charge — in control
  23. ground — a position
  24. ground — crushed

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