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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. charge — in control
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — the tool
  11. net — after costs
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. pop — to visit
  15. charge — a price
  16. pop — music
  17. net — in sport
  18. rash — hasty
  19. pop — soda
  20. rash — a series
  21. dip — to sink
  22. drill — army training
  23. net — for catching
  24. safe — out of danger

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