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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. pitch — completely
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. charge — in control
  5. spring — the season
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. spring — a coil
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. stand — to bear
  13. lie — to recline
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. chip — for betting
  17. charge — a price
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. chip — to eat
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — a permit
  23. spring — of water
  24. pound — to hit hard

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