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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.

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: lie · bass · wake · season · mark · race · charge · arm

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. charge — a price
  5. race — the arms race
  6. charge — electricity
  7. season — in sport
  8. race — a contest
  9. mark — a trace
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. lie — to recline
  18. race — humankind
  19. wake — a trail
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bass — low music
  23. season — of the year
  24. bass — the fish

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