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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: lie · current · mouse · rule · charge · lean · mate · squash

  1. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. lie — to recline
  3. current — happening now
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. charge — electricity
  6. squash — the sport
  7. current — of water
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lean — to bend
  11. current — electric
  12. rule — government
  13. charge — in control
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mate — a friend
  19. mate — to breed
  20. rule — a law
  21. charge — a price
  22. lean — thin
  23. squash — to crush
  24. mouse — the animal

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