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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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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. swing — to play on
  3. swing — in golf
  4. wound — an injury
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — in control
  7. court — of law
  8. last — finally
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. swing — music
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. last — final
  14. court — for sport
  15. mug — a face
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. charge — electricity
  18. last — to go on
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wound — an injury
  23. court — of a king
  24. bear — the animal

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