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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. stand — to bear
  3. wound — an injury
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. net — after costs
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. suit — in cards
  8. can — a tin
  9. lie — to recline
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. charge — electricity
  15. net — in sport
  16. charge — a price
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. wound — an injury
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. suit — clothes
  24. net — for catching

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