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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. can — to be able to
  3. rock — a stone
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. board — a committee
  9. rock — music
  10. pit — in a race
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. board — to get on
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — a hole
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. charge — in control
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. mouse — the animal

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