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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. charge — in control
  3. drill — army training
  4. fall — the season
  5. land — ground
  6. drill — a practice
  7. fall — to drop
  8. land — a country
  9. drill — the tool
  10. rock — a stone
  11. swing — music
  12. rock — music
  13. land — to come down
  14. swing — to play on
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. charge — a price
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. charge — electricity
  19. swing — in golf
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fall — to drop
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — with your hand

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