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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. spell — a short time
  4. swing — in golf
  5. spell — letters
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. swing — to play on
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. spring — the season
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. swing — music
  13. bass — low music
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. spell — magic
  16. spring — of water
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. charge — a price
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bass — the fish
  21. charge — electricity
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. spring — a coil
  24. dip — to dunk

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