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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. chest — a box
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. charge — in control
  5. root — the cause
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. chest — of your body
  8. lie — to recline
  9. march — the month
  10. charge — electricity
  11. march — music
  12. charge — a price
  13. rest — what's left
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. root — of a plant
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mine — for digging
  19. root — of a word
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rest — a break
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. march — the month
  24. mine — an explosive

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