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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bear — the animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. charge — electricity
  7. craft — boats
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. track — a path
  12. track — a song
  13. wound — an injury
  14. rule — a law
  15. key — in music
  16. craft — a skill
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. track — to keep track
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. charge — a price
  22. bear — the animal
  23. key — for a lock
  24. rule — government

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