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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. rock — a stone
  3. root — the cause
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. march — the month
  8. root — of a plant
  9. charge — a price
  10. root — of a word
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. swing — to play on
  13. pit — a hole
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. march — music
  16. pit — in a race
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. rock — music
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. march — the month
  24. charge — in control

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