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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: wave · pitcher · charge · bay · content · lie · board · kid

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. charge — electricity
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. board — to get on
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. content — happy
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. kid — child
  11. charge — in control
  12. kid — to tease
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. content — the amount
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. charge — a price
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. lie — to recline
  24. board — a committee

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