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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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. charge — in control
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. swing — in golf
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. charge — a price
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. vault — a safe
  12. swing — music
  13. sharp — clever
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. fine — all right
  20. swing — to play on
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fine — high quality
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. kid — to tease

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