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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 116 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — a price
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. charge — in control
  7. branch — a division
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. bore — to drill
  10. rest — a break
  11. staff — employees
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. staff — employees
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fork — in a road
  17. rest — what's left
  18. staff — a stick
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bore — to tire
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lie — an untruth

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