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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. content — happy
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. firm — decided
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. cue — a hint
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cue — for pool
  10. content — the amount
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. charge — electricity
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cue — a signal
  17. firm — steady
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. charge — a price
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. firm — a company
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. cabinet — ministers

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