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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 120 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. mate — a friend
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. present — there
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. chip — for betting
  8. charge — a price
  9. bear — the animal
  10. fall — the season
  11. fall — to drop
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fall — to drop
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mate — to breed
  17. charge — electricity
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. present — the time now
  22. bear — the animal
  23. present — a gift
  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