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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: lie · bat · shower · charge · deal · foot · hand · club

  1. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. charge — in control
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. foot — a measure
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for dancing
  13. hand — in cards
  14. deal — to handle
  15. shower — rain
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. shower — to wash
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. bat — the animal
  24. hand — help

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