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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. firm — a company
  3. charge — a price
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. ground — the earth
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. ground — a position
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a face
  10. bat — the animal
  11. firm — decided
  12. ground — crushed
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. present — the time now
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — high quality
  17. firm — steady
  18. charge — electricity
  19. present — there
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. present — a gift
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. mug — a cup

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