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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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Word bank
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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. charge — electricity
  3. suit — clothes
  4. stock — shares
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. clip — a video
  8. pop — to visit
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pop — music
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. charge — a price
  16. clip — for paper
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. charge — in control
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stock — goods
  23. clip — to cut
  24. swing — in golf

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