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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mug — to rob
  4. spring — the season
  5. stock — shares
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mug — a face
  8. suit — clothes
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. swing — to play on
  11. suit — in cards
  12. charge — a price
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. date — the fruit
  15. mug — a cup
  16. swing — music
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. stock — goods
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. spring — of water
  21. spring — a coil
  22. charge — in control
  23. suit — to fit
  24. date — on the calendar

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