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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: firm · bulb · charge · saw · rest · straw · dip · cold

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. firm — a company
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. saw — the tool
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bulb — for light
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. charge — a price
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. firm — decided
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. cold — an illness
  17. firm — steady
  18. rest — a break
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. rest — what's left
  22. cold — not warm
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rest — what's left

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