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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. fall — the season
  5. charge — in control
  6. toast — bread
  7. charge — a price
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. charge — electricity
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rash — a series
  14. fall — to drop
  15. chip — for betting
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. ball — a dance
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. fall — to drop
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. chip — to eat
  24. temple — a place of worship

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