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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. rock — a stone
  3. drill — army training
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — electricity
  7. spring — the season
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. mine — for digging
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — music
  12. spring — a coil
  13. rock — music
  14. row — to paddle
  15. drill — the tool
  16. row — a line
  17. spring — of water
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. suit — to fit
  20. drill — a practice
  21. swing — in golf
  22. suit — in cards
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mine — belonging to me

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