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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: game · saw · charge · sharp · face · bay · lie · cabinet

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. face — to point toward
  3. face — part of the head
  4. lie — to recline
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. saw — the tool
  10. charge — in control
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. charge — a price
  13. face — to confront
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. sharp — clever
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. saw — the tool
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. game — wild animals
  23. charge — electricity
  24. game — a match

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