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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. root — the cause
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fall — the season
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. charge — in control
  10. chip — for betting
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fall — to drop
  14. charge — electricity
  15. lie — to recline
  16. root — of a word
  17. chip — to eat
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fall — to drop
  20. root — of a plant
  21. charge — a price
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. arm — part of the body

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