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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.

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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: face · key · charge · jam · mug · lie · pound · fan

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  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. mug — a cup
  2. face — to point toward
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. key — in music
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. mug — a face
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. lie — to recline
  15. charge — electricity
  16. key — the most important part
  17. mug — to rob
  18. charge — a price
  19. key — for a lock
  20. charge — in control
  21. face — part of the head
  22. face — to confront
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  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