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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: toast · last · lie · bat · charge · roll · sharp · foot

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. bat — the animal
  3. charge — in control
  4. last — final
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. foot — a measure
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. last — finally
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. last — to go on
  17. toast — bread
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. roll — a list
  20. charge — a price
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. roll — a cake
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. sharp — with an edge

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