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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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. squash — to crush
  3. charge — in control
  4. field — for sport
  5. field — a subject
  6. squash — the sport
  7. charge — a price
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. object — to protest
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. object — a thing
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. object — an aim
  15. charge — electricity
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. pit — in a race
  20. field — farmland
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. safe — out of danger

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