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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. lie — to recline
  5. season — in sport
  6. charge — electricity
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. season — of the year
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. snap — to click
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. charge — in control
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. fork — in a road
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. season — to add flavour

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