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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. charge — a price
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. present — a gift
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. present — the time now
  11. club — a group
  12. club — for golf
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. chip — to eat
  15. squash — to crush
  16. present — there
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. club — for dancing
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. chip — for betting
  21. squash — the sport
  22. rush — hurry
  23. charge — in control
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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