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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. row — a line
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. swing — in golf
  5. land — ground
  6. net — in sport
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. firm — steady
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. net — after costs
  12. charge — a price
  13. land — to come down
  14. row — to paddle
  15. land — a country
  16. swing — music
  17. foot — a measure
  18. charge — electricity
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. net — for catching
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. swing — to play on
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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