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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. club — for golf
  3. chip — for betting
  4. charge — in control
  5. chip — to eat
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a song
  8. bound — obliged
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. charge — a price
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bound — certain
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. tear — to rip
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. tear — from crying
  20. club — for dancing
  21. bound — tied together
  22. charge — electricity
  23. club — a group
  24. track — a path

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