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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. land — ground
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. land — a country
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. charge — a price
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. charge — in control
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. stand — to bear
  19. land — to come down
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. stand — on your feet

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