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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. chair — a leader
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bank — for money
  5. firm — a company
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. race — a contest
  8. charge — electricity
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. charge — a price
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. bank — of a river
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — thin
  17. race — the arms race
  18. firm — decided
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. firm — steady
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bank — for money
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. race — humankind

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