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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. kick — in football
  3. bass — low music
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. craft — boats
  11. fork — in a road
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. season — in sport
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rush — hurry
  19. charge — a price
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. craft — a skill
  22. season — of the year
  23. bass — the fish
  24. kick — a thrill

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