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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. band — a music group
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — a price
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. board — a committee
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. snap — to click
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. lean — thin
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. board — to get on
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. lie — to recline
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. lean — to bend
  24. band — a ring

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