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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. scale — size or range
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. kid — child
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. kid — to tease
  13. stand — to bear
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. charge — a price
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. scale — in music
  18. content — the amount
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. charge — electricity
  21. content — happy
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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