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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. charge — electricity
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. present — there
  8. charge — a price
  9. present — the time now
  10. wind — moving air
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. lie — to recline
  14. chip — for betting
  15. charge — in control
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. present — a gift
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. chip — to eat
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. kick — with a leg

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