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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. lie — to recline
  3. file — a line of people
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mark — a grade
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. mark — a trace
  12. fall — to drop
  13. file — a document
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. charge — in control
  16. file — a tool
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. charge — a price
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pass — a permit
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fall — the season
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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