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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.

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: rock · chair · ruler · charge · object · dip · pitcher · lie

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. object — a thing
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. charge — electricity
  5. chair — a leader
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. object — to protest
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rock — a stone
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. charge — in control
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rock — music
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. lie — to recline
  18. object — an aim
  19. charge — a price
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. ruler — a monarch

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