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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. charge — a price
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. date — the fruit
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. roll — a cake
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. charge — electricity
  22. bound — tied together
  23. roll — a list
  24. wave — of the sea

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