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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. board — to get on
  3. rest — what's left
  4. lie — to recline
  5. land — to come down
  6. charge — electricity
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. land — ground
  12. wound — an injury
  13. land — a country
  14. rest — what's left
  15. capital — a city
  16. charge — in control
  17. capital — money
  18. board — a committee
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. rest — a break
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wound — an injury
  23. charge — a price
  24. saw — the tool

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