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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 116 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bear — the animal
  4. charge — in control
  5. rule — a law
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mine — for digging
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bear — the animal
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rule — government
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. charge — a price
  24. bat — for baseball

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