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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. swing — music
  3. charge — a price
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. firm — a company
  6. swing — to play on
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lean — thin
  10. swing — in golf
  11. firm — steady
  12. kick — in football
  13. spring — of water
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. firm — decided
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. spring — the season
  19. charge — in control
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. lean — to bend
  22. spring — a coil
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. charge — electricity

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