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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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. bat — the animal
  2. charge — a price
  3. suit — clothes
  4. charge — in control
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. suit — in cards
  7. lie — to recline
  8. fall — to drop
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — for catching
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fall — the season
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. charge — electricity
  17. net — in sport
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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