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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. rash — hasty
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. race — humankind
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. tube — a container
  11. charge — a price
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rash — a series
  15. race — a contest
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. lie — to recline
  20. tube — the underground
  21. race — the arms race
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. charge — in control

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