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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
468
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: racket · lie · toast · sharp · object · charge · kid · mine

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. kid — child
  6. kid — to tease
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. lie — to recline
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — to protest
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. object — an aim
  15. charge — electricity
  16. sharp — clever
  17. charge — in control
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. charge — a price
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. toast — bread
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. mine — an explosive

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