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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 120 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: firm · foot · racket · lie · charge · field · rash · bore

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. field — for sport
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. field — a subject
  7. firm — a company
  8. foot — a measure
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bore — to tire
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. field — farmland
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. rash — hasty
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. rash — a series
  20. firm — decided
  21. firm — steady
  22. charge — in control
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. bore — to drill

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