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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — a gift
  3. swing — in golf
  4. swing — music
  5. charge — electricity
  6. ground — a position
  7. pop — music
  8. pop — soda
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. present — there
  11. ball — a dance
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pop — to visit
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. charge — a price
  17. ground — the earth
  18. swing — to play on
  19. ground — crushed
  20. charge — in control
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ball — a great time

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