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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. charge — a price
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. ball — a great time
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. swing — in golf
  8. game — wild animals
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. charge — electricity
  11. swing — music
  12. firm — a company
  13. bore — to drill
  14. game — a match
  15. firm — decided
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. swing — to play on
  18. ball — a dance
  19. charge — in control
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bore — to tire

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