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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 116 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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. row — a line
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. swing — in golf
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — a weight
  10. swing — to play on
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bore — to tire
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. charge — in control
  18. row — to paddle
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. charge — a price
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bat — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. racket — for tennis

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