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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 116 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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. lie — to recline
  7. charge — in control
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. rock — music
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. rock — a stone
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. mine — for digging
  19. snap — to click
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. charge — a price
  23. ball — a great time
  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