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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. rest — what's left
  3. staff — a stick
  4. staff — employees
  5. present — the time now
  6. track — to keep track
  7. staff — employees
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rest — what's left
  10. track — a path
  11. bound — obliged
  12. charge — a price
  13. bound — tied together
  14. present — a gift
  15. rest — a break
  16. bound — certain
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. shower — rain
  19. present — there
  20. shower — to wash
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. charge — in control

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