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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: rule · bear · ball · plane · land · lie · charge · pitcher

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bear — the animal
  3. charge — electricity
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. land — ground
  8. land — a country
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. charge — in control
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rule — government
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rule — a law
  18. ball — a dance
  19. lie — to recline
  20. plane — a tool
  21. land — to come down
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bear — the animal
  24. charge — a price

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