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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. charge — a price
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. kid — child
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. charge — in control
  12. wake — a trail
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pit — in a race
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. lie — to recline
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. kid — to tease
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pit — a hole
  24. temple — a place of worship

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