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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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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: stick · fan · charge · lie · spell · race · dip · bear

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. charge — electricity
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bear — the animal
  6. charge — in control
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lie — to recline
  9. charge — a price
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. spell — a short time
  15. race — a contest
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. race — the arms race
  20. spell — magic
  21. race — humankind
  22. spell — letters
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. dip — to sink

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