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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 120 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 a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. charge — electricity
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. swing — in golf
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. row — to paddle
  7. swing — to play on
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. current — electric
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. row — a line
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. current — happening now
  15. firm — a company
  16. charge — in control
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. swing — music
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. current — of water
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. firm — decided
  23. charge — a price
  24. firm — steady

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