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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. charge — in control
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. staff — employees
  7. sharp — clever
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. charge — electricity
  11. row — a line
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. staff — employees
  14. rash — a series
  15. charge — a price
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. staff — a stick
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. mine — for digging

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