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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: lie · cell · mate · charge · nail · court · jam · pitcher

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — electricity
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. mate — a partner
  6. charge — in control
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cell — a phone
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. mate — a friend
  11. cell — in biology
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. court — of a king
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. court — for sport
  17. mate — to breed
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. court — of law
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lie — to recline

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