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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 120 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. rule — a law
  5. charge — in control
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. pop — music
  10. face — part of the head
  11. charge — a price
  12. board — a committee
  13. lie — to recline
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. board — to get on
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. face — to point toward
  18. face — to confront
  19. rule — government
  20. capital — a city
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. capital — money
  23. charge — electricity
  24. hide — to keep secret

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