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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. charge — electricity
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. charge — in control
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. charge — a price
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. wound — an injury
  23. fork — in a road
  24. wound — an injury

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