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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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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. firm — decided
  4. charge — electricity
  5. cold — an illness
  6. firm — steady
  7. tube — the underground
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. firm — a company
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. cold — not warm
  15. pit — in a race
  16. charge — a price
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. tube — a container
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — a hole
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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