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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. present — a gift
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. charge — in control
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — steady
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. dip — to sink
  9. firm — decided
  10. roll — a list
  11. present — there
  12. pound — a weight
  13. charge — electricity
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. charge — a price
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. roll — a cake
  19. chip — for betting
  20. present — the time now
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. chip — to eat

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