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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 120 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rash — hasty
  6. content — the amount
  7. mark — a trace
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. ground — crushed
  10. squash — the sport
  11. ground — the earth
  12. charge — a price
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. content — happy
  15. squash — to crush
  16. fine — all right
  17. mark — a grade
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bank — for money
  20. rash — a series
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. ground — a position
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bank — for money

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