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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. row — to paddle
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. dip — to sink
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. charge — in control
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. wax — to grow
  13. season — in sport
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. season — of the year
  20. charge — a price
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. row — a line
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. row — a quarrel

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