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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cap — a lid
  3. file — a tool
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. drill — army training
  8. cap — of ice
  9. scale — size or range
  10. file — a line of people
  11. stand — to bear
  12. drill — the tool
  13. file — a document
  14. charge — a price
  15. cap — a hat
  16. charge — electricity
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. drill — a practice
  19. last — final
  20. scale — in music
  21. last — finally
  22. last — to go on
  23. charge — in control
  24. lie — an untruth

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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