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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  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. chair — a leader
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. shower — rain
  4. chest — of your body
  5. charge — a price
  6. can — a tin
  7. charge — electricity
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. can — a tin
  13. charge — in control
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chest — of your body
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. chest — a box
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. shower — to wash
  24. safe — out of danger

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