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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 116 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  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 — electricity
  2. drill — the tool
  3. squash — to crush
  4. charge — a price
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. charge — in control
  7. firm — steady
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. firm — decided
  10. drill — army training
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. drill — a practice
  13. mug — a face
  14. squash — the sport
  15. firm — a company
  16. content — the amount
  17. rush — hurry
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. content — happy
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mug — to rob
  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