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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. charge — electricity
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. can — a tin
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. court — for sport
  6. file — a line of people
  7. pit — in a race
  8. can — a tin
  9. lie — to recline
  10. charge — a price
  11. court — of a king
  12. file — a tool
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. file — a document
  15. can — to be able to
  16. court — of law
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. charge — in control
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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