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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. charge — in control
  3. cap — a lid
  4. lie — to recline
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — of ice
  10. content — the amount
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. land — to come down
  15. content — happy
  16. bore — to drill
  17. land — ground
  18. bore — to tire
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. dip — to sink
  21. charge — a price
  22. charge — electricity
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. land — a country

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