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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bat — the animal
  5. ball — a great time
  6. charge — a price
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. ball — a dance
  10. current — of water
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. charge — electricity
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. current — electric
  20. lie — to recline
  21. mug — a face
  22. current — happening now
  23. charge — in control
  24. bear — the animal

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