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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. charge — a price
  3. snap — to click
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — a weight
  8. charge — electricity
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. deal — to handle
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. charge — in control
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mouse — for a computer

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