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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — hasty
  3. charge — in control
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. chip — to eat
  6. chip — for betting
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rash — a series
  9. sharp — clever
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bound — certain
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bound — tied together
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bound — obliged
  18. charge — a price

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