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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. dip — to sink
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. file — a line of people
  9. stand — to bear
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bore — to tire
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. charge — a price
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. file — a tool
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. charge — electricity
  20. file — a document
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. perch — the fish
  24. straw — dry grass

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