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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. rush — hurry
  3. firm — decided
  4. club — a group
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. club — for dancing
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. cold — an illness
  9. dip — to sink
  10. firm — steady
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. firm — a company
  13. fine — high quality
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. cold — not warm
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. charge — electricity
  18. club — for golf
  19. bark — to shout
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. charge — a price

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