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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. drill — the tool
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — army training
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wound — an injury
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — for betting
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wound — an injury
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. charge — a price

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