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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. net — after costs
  3. bank — for money
  4. foot — a measure
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bulb — for light
  7. swing — music
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. can — a tin
  11. game — wild animals
  12. can — to be able to
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. net — in sport
  15. can — a tin
  16. bank — of a river
  17. net — for catching
  18. swing — to play on
  19. bank — for money
  20. game — a match
  21. charge — in control
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. charge — a price
  24. bulb — for light

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