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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. saw — the tool
  3. chest — of your body
  4. charge — in control
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bulb — for light
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bulb — for light
  13. spell — a short time
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. spell — letters
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. tube — the underground
  20. charge — a price
  21. tube — a container
  22. spell — magic
  23. chest — a box
  24. tube — in a tire

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