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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. fall — the season
  3. shower — to wash
  4. fall — to drop
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. pitch — completely
  7. firm — steady
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. rush — hurry
  10. shower — rain
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. fall — to drop
  14. firm — decided
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. firm — a company
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. lean — thin
  20. charge — in control
  21. lean — to bend
  22. charge — a price
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. arm — a part of something

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