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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. charge — in control
  3. current — of water
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. key — for a lock
  8. key — the most important part
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. current — electric
  11. drill — the tool
  12. key — in music
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. charge — electricity
  15. current — happening now
  16. charge — a price
  17. drill — army training
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lie — to recline
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. straw — a straw man

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