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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 116 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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — to play on
  3. charge — electricity
  4. mine — for digging
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. content — happy
  9. charge — in control
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to bend
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. suit — clothes
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. suit — in cards
  20. swing — music
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — the amount
  23. suit — to fit
  24. charge — a price

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