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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. charge — a price
  4. mug — a cup
  5. season — of the year
  6. fine — all right
  7. land — to come down
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. mug — a face
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. season — in sport
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a skill
  15. swing — in golf
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. charge — electricity
  18. fine — high quality
  19. land — a country
  20. swing — to play on
  21. land — ground
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. charge — in control
  24. mug — to rob

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