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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. drill — army training
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. press — to push
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. charge — a price
  9. press — a publisher
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bark — to shout
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. drill — the tool
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. press — newspapers
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. roll — a cake
  21. roll — a list
  22. drill — a practice
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. bat — the animal

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