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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. wound — an injury
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — a thing
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. object — to protest
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. bank — of a river
  13. mine — for digging
  14. bank — for money
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. lean — to bend
  19. charge — in control
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bank — for money
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — a price

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