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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  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. charge — in control
  2. file — a document
  3. file — a line of people
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. charge — electricity
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. file — a tool
  11. bulb — for light
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mine — for digging
  14. bulb — for light
  15. roll — a cake
  16. roll — a list
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. charge — a price
  23. roll — on a roll
  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