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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. staff — employees
  5. lie — to recline
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — the tool
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. staff — a stick
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. staff — employees
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — a price
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. prune — to trim
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. prune — to trim
  23. drill — army training
  24. pitcher — a jug

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