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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. fine — high quality
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. charge — in control
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. date — the fruit
  13. fine — all right
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. bulb — for light
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. snap — to click
  22. charge — a price
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. lie — an untruth

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