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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.

Make a worksheet

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: staff · mate · lie · saw · charge · object · suit · kick

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. staff — employees
  4. kick — in football
  5. staff — employees
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. lie — to recline
  8. object — to protest
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. staff — a stick
  12. object — an aim
  13. charge — a price
  14. saw — the tool
  15. object — a thing
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mate — a partner
  18. charge — in control
  19. suit — in cards
  20. mate — a friend
  21. saw — the tool
  22. charge — electricity
  23. mate — to breed
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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