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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. ball — a great time
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. charge — a price
  9. land — a country
  10. degree — an amount
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. lie — to recline
  13. land — to come down
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. degree — temperature
  16. charge — electricity
  17. degree — from a university
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. land — ground
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. ball — a dance
  24. charge — in control

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