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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: lie · hand · lean · suit · coach · charge · wound · cap

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cap — a lid
  4. hand — in cards
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. charge — in control
  7. hand — help
  8. suit — clothes
  9. lean — to bend
  10. suit — in cards
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. wound — an injury
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. charge — a price
  18. cap — a hat
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wound — an injury
  22. cap — of ice
  23. lie — to recline
  24. charge — electricity

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