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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. charge — electricity
  4. squash — to crush
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. charge — a price
  8. game — wild animals
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. squash — the sport
  11. row — to paddle
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. row — a line
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. game — a match
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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