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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. charge — in control
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. wind — moving air
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. mug — to rob
  8. tube — a container
  9. mug — a face
  10. rush — hurry
  11. roll — a cake
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. roll — a list
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. charge — a price
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. cell — a phone
  20. tube — the underground
  21. cell — in biology
  22. wind — moving air
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wave — with your hand

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