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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. prune — to trim
  5. charge — a price
  6. saw — the tool
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. snap — to click
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. charge — electricity
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bore — to drill
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. charge — in control
  24. bore — to tire

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