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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. cap — a hat
  3. season — of the year
  4. charge — in control
  5. swing — to play on
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — for pool
  8. club — a group
  9. file — a tool
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — a cup
  12. cap — of ice
  13. file — a line of people
  14. cue — a signal
  15. charge — electricity
  16. club — for golf
  17. mug — to rob
  18. club — for dancing
  19. swing — in golf
  20. cap — a lid
  21. charge — a price
  22. file — a document
  23. swing — music
  24. season — to add flavour

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