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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. charge — electricity
  5. object — an aim
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. object — to protest
  13. charge — a price
  14. sharp — clever
  15. content — happy
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. object — a thing
  22. charge — in control
  23. content — the amount
  24. temple — a place of worship

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