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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  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 — electricity
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. kid — to tease
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. kid — child
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pop — soda
  9. craft — boats
  10. roll — a cake
  11. pop — to visit
  12. charge — in control
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. roll — a list
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. pop — music
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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