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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: charge · last · suit · sharp · straw · lie · lean · can

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. can — to be able to
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — clever
  5. lean — to bend
  6. charge — a price
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. suit — to fit
  10. can — a tin
  11. last — final
  12. can — a tin
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — thin
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. last — to go on
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. straw — dry grass

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