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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 116 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. suit — in cards
  3. face — part of the head
  4. capital — money
  5. charge — a price
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. rest — what's left
  8. face — to confront
  9. charge — electricity
  10. capital — a city
  11. rest — a break
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pitch — completely
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. lie — to recline
  21. face — to point toward
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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