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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. charge — in control
  3. can — to be able to
  4. capital — money
  5. rest — what's left
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. bank — for money
  9. rest — what's left
  10. can — a tin
  11. swing — to play on
  12. can — a tin
  13. capital — a city
  14. bank — for money
  15. charge — electricity
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. charge — a price
  18. bank — of a river
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. file — a tool
  21. file — a line of people
  22. swing — in golf
  23. file — a document
  24. rest — a break

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