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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. land — to come down
  3. fall — to drop
  4. lie — to recline
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. game — wild animals
  9. charge — electricity
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. fall — the season
  12. fall — to drop
  13. charge — in control
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. land — ground
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. game — a match
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. charge — a price
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. land — a country
  24. chair — a leader

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