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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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. squash — the sport
  3. present — there
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. swing — music
  8. squash — to crush
  9. charge — a price
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. lie — to recline
  12. present — the time now
  13. swing — in golf
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. charge — in control
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. pitch — completely
  19. present — a gift
  20. swing — to play on
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. charge — electricity
  24. mouse — the animal

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