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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lie — to recline
  3. drill — a practice
  4. wound — an injury
  5. charge — a price
  6. lean — to bend
  7. sharp — clever
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. shower — rain
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. drill — army training
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lean — thin
  19. wound — an injury
  20. shower — to wash
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. drill — the tool
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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