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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. charge — in control
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. march — the month
  5. dip — to sink
  6. march — music
  7. pound — a weight
  8. charge — a price
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. march — the month
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. sharp — clever
  20. charge — electricity
  21. lie — to recline
  22. branch — a division
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. saw — the tool

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