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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. charge — in control
  3. key — for a lock
  4. mine — for digging
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. fall — to drop
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. key — the most important part
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pit — a hole
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rash — hasty
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. fall — the season
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rash — a series
  22. key — in music
  23. fall — to drop
  24. charge — a price

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