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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 120 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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. saw — the tool
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. kid — to tease
  11. can — a tin
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lie — to recline
  15. can — to be able to
  16. charge — a price
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. can — a tin
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. kid — child
  22. chip — to eat
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — in a computer

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