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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  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. jam — a tight spot
  2. chip — to eat
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — a price
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fall — to drop
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. perch — the fish
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. fall — to drop
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. rock — music
  16. rest — a break
  17. rock — a stone
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. rest — what's left
  21. fall — the season
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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