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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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. last — to go on
  4. last — finally
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. staff — employees
  9. track — a path
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. charge — a price
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bear — the animal
  14. staff — a stick
  15. last — final
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. staff — employees
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. charge — electricity
  21. saw — the tool
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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