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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. tube — a container
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. wax — to grow
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. charge — electricity
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. chip — for betting
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. drill — army training
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. charge — a price
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. chip — to eat
  20. lie — to recline
  21. drill — the tool
  22. drill — a practice
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. tube — the underground

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