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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. charge — in control
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. swing — music
  5. band — a music group
  6. charge — a price
  7. current — electric
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. swing — in golf
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. current — of water
  14. file — a line of people
  15. band — a ring
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. file — a document
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. current — happening now
  24. swing — to play on

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