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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. swing — to play on
  3. mug — a cup
  4. tear — to rip
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. tear — from crying
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — soda
  9. tear — from crying
  10. swing — in golf
  11. mug — a face
  12. charge — electricity
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. charge — a price
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. swing — music
  22. pop — to visit
  23. kick — in football
  24. mug — to rob

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