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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 120 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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bat — the animal
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — a tool
  6. scale — in music
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — for golf
  9. cap — a hat
  10. charge — a price
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. charge — electricity
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. cap — a lid
  19. club — a group
  20. scale — size or range
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. cap — of ice
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. charge — in control

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