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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. kid — child
  3. dip — to sink
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. wake — a trail
  7. snap — to click
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pitch — completely
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. kid — to tease
  24. wave — with your hand

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