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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. spell — a short time
  3. wind — moving air
  4. charge — in control
  5. rest — a break
  6. cap — a hat
  7. mug — a cup
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rest — what's left
  10. spell — letters
  11. board — a committee
  12. wind — moving air
  13. spell — magic
  14. charge — a price
  15. mug — to rob
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. lie — to recline
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. cap — a lid
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. board — to get on
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cap — of ice
  24. mug — a face

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