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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. rest — what's left
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rest — a break
  5. charge — electricity
  6. ball — a dance
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. charge — a price
  10. stock — goods
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ball — a great time
  14. last — to go on
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. can — a tin
  17. stock — shares
  18. can — a tin
  19. last — final
  20. last — finally
  21. can — to be able to
  22. charge — in control
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. stock — a soup base

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