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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 120 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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. charge — electricity
  4. squash — to crush
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. charge — a price
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. season — of the year
  9. file — a tool
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. charge — in control
  12. rash — hasty
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. foot — a measure
  15. file — a line of people
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. squash — the sport
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. file — a document
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. season — in sport
  24. wave — with your hand

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