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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. plane — a tool
  5. charge — a price
  6. face — to confront
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — to protest
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. kid — child
  11. kid — to tease
  12. charge — in control
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. lie — to recline
  16. object — a thing
  17. charge — electricity
  18. face — to point toward
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. face — part of the head
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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