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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. fork — in a road
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. swing — music
  6. charge — a price
  7. swing — to play on
  8. drill — army training
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — the tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pass — a permit
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. cold — not warm
  16. rash — a series
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cold — an illness
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. charge — in control
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. pass — to succeed

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