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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mug — a cup
  3. wind — moving air
  4. charge — a price
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. craft — boats
  8. charge — electricity
  9. squash — the sport
  10. mug — to rob
  11. squash — to crush
  12. spell — magic
  13. mug — a face
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — a short time

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