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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. wind — moving air
  3. saw — the tool
  4. lie — to recline
  5. wound — an injury
  6. press — a publisher
  7. net — for catching
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. wind — moving air
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wound — an injury
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a lid
  14. charge — in control
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. press — newspapers
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cap — a hat
  19. net — in sport
  20. press — to push
  21. charge — a price
  22. net — after costs
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. lie — an untruth

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