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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. track — a path
  3. wound — an injury
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. track — a song
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. track — to keep track
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. snap — to click
  17. wound — an injury
  18. charge — a price
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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