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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: pop · bass · ruler · lie · fine · hide · charge · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lie — to recline
  3. charge — in control
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. charge — a price
  7. fine — all right
  8. pop — to visit
  9. bass — the fish
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pop — music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. pop — soda
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bass — low music
  24. fine — high quality

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