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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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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — electricity
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. charge — in control
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. swing — music
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. rest — what's left
  13. last — to go on
  14. swing — to play on
  15. last — finally
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bass — low music
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. swing — in golf
  21. bass — the fish
  22. rest — a break
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. last — final

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