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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. track — a song
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — a company
  6. track — to keep track
  7. chip — for betting
  8. mate — a friend
  9. rash — a series
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. track — a path
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. charge — a price
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. firm — steady
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rash — hasty
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. charge — electricity
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — to breed

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