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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. current — happening now
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. current — electric
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. mate — a partner
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. charge — in control
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. mate — a friend
  15. charge — a price
  16. mate — to breed
  17. foot — a measure
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. current — of water
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. scale — size or range
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. pound — a weight
  24. charge — electricity

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