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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 120 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. swing — music
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. charge — electricity
  7. tube — the underground
  8. tube — a container
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a committee
  12. charge — a price
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. charge — in control
  18. swing — in golf

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