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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. charge — a price
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. race — humankind
  6. current — of water
  7. tube — a container
  8. race — a contest
  9. game — wild animals
  10. charge — electricity
  11. tube — the underground
  12. season — of the year
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. race — the arms race
  16. game — a match
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — electric
  20. season — in sport
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. charge — in control
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. leaves — lets stay

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