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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. key — in music
  4. ball — a dance
  5. tube — a container
  6. lean — to bend
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. lean — thin
  10. prune — to trim
  11. charge — electricity
  12. key — for a lock
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. ball — a great time
  16. prune — to trim
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. charge — a price
  19. key — the most important part
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. tube — the underground
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — the tool

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