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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — the fish
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. lie — to recline
  8. march — music
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. suit — clothes
  11. charge — a price
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. charge — in control
  15. tube — the underground
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. march — the month
  18. sharp — clever
  19. march — the month
  20. suit — to fit
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. suit — in cards
  23. tube — a container
  24. perch — for a bird

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