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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 120 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. saw — the tool
  3. land — to come down
  4. ground — a position
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. mine — for digging
  7. land — ground
  8. charge — in control
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lie — to recline
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. ground — the earth
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. ground — crushed
  19. charge — a price
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. sharp — clever
  23. land — a country
  24. charge — electricity

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