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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 116 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. charge — electricity
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ground — crushed
  5. lie — to recline
  6. game — a match
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. present — there
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. present — a gift
  12. fall — to drop
  13. ground — a position
  14. game — wild animals
  15. present — the time now
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. charge — in control
  18. fall — the season
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. charge — a price
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. fall — to drop
  24. ground — the earth

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