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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. The water is too ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cold — not warm
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. charge — a price
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. cold — an illness
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ball — a dance

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