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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. fork — in a road
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. sharp — clever
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. charge — in control
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. vault — a safe
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. charge — a price

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