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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. charge — a price
  5. mug — a cup
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. swing — music
  8. mug — a face
  9. hand — in cards
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. current — of water
  13. season — of the year
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. swing — in golf
  16. charge — electricity
  17. hand — help
  18. season — in sport
  19. charge — in control
  20. swing — to play on
  21. march — the month
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — electric
  24. mug — to rob

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