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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. stand — to bear
  3. mug — to rob
  4. squash — to crush
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. court — of a king
  8. track — to keep track
  9. charge — electricity
  10. court — of law
  11. mug — a face
  12. track — a path
  13. wind — moving air
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. squash — the sport
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. track — a song
  18. mug — a cup
  19. court — for sport
  20. charge — a price
  21. rush — hurry
  22. wind — moving air
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. squash — the vegetable

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