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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bear — the animal
  4. charge — electricity
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. chip — for betting
  9. charge — a price
  10. wake — a trail
  11. game — wild animals
  12. bear — the animal
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. game — a match
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — moving air
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. chip — to eat
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. game — a kind of play

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