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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. tube — the underground
  3. bound — certain
  4. charge — in control
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — the time now
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. swing — in golf
  9. present — there
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bass — low music
  13. bound — obliged
  14. tube — a container
  15. charge — a price
  16. swing — music
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. swing — to play on

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