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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. drill — a practice
  3. net — for catching
  4. track — a path
  5. current — of water
  6. current — electric
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. track — to keep track
  10. charge — a price
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. court — of a king
  14. drill — army training
  15. track — a song
  16. current — happening now
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. charge — electricity
  19. drill — the tool
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. net — in sport
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of law
  24. net — after costs

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