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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — for catching
  4. bass — low music
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. rock — a stone
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. rock — music
  10. hand — in cards
  11. swing — in golf
  12. swing — music
  13. charge — a price
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. net — in sport
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bass — the fish
  18. stem — to come from
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. charge — electricity
  21. hand — help
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  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