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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. object — a thing
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. land — a country
  5. charge — a price
  6. land — ground
  7. object — an aim
  8. game — a match
  9. charge — electricity
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. land — to come down
  13. charge — in control
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. saw — the tool
  17. game — wild animals
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wax — to grow
  20. saw — the tool
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. object — to protest
  24. wax — for sculpting

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