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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitcher · current · last · row · object · charge · hand · lie

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. row — to paddle
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. charge — a price
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. lie — to recline
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. current — happening now
  13. last — to go on
  14. row — a line
  15. object — to protest
  16. object — a thing
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. last — finally
  19. current — electric
  20. object — an aim
  21. hand — help
  22. last — final
  23. charge — in control
  24. current — of water

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