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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. charge — in control
  3. mate — a partner
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. charge — a price
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. charge — electricity
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rock — music
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mate — a friend
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — music
  18. mate — to breed
  19. swing — in golf
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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