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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. lie — to recline
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — after costs
  6. charge — a price
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. deal — to handle
  13. net — in sport
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. date — the fruit
  22. stand — to bear
  23. wave — of the sea
  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