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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: charge · safe · pass · game · net · club · lie · fall

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. game — a match
  3. net — in sport
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. charge — electricity
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. game — wild animals
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. club — for dancing
  13. charge — a price
  14. pass — a permit
  15. fall — the season
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — for catching
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. charge — in control
  20. fall — to drop
  21. club — a group
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. club — for golf
  24. lie — an untruth

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