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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rest — what's left
  8. charge — electricity
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. rest — a break
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. dip — to sink
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rest — what's left
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a music group
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. charge — a price
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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