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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. ground — the earth
  3. pop — soda
  4. fork — in a road
  5. charge — in control
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. pop — music
  10. squash — to crush
  11. ground — crushed
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. charge — a price
  15. pop — to visit
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. squash — the sport
  18. ground — a position

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