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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. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. charge — a price
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. cap — of ice
  6. perch — the fish
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. key — in music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. key — for a lock
  15. cap — a lid
  16. march — the month
  17. march — the month
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. march — music
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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