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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. fine — all right
  3. charge — in control
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. ball — a great time
  6. file — a document
  7. charge — electricity
  8. ball — a dance
  9. fine — high quality
  10. file — a tool
  11. charge — a price
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. board — a committee
  18. file — a line of people
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bear — the animal
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. fine — a penalty

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