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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. charge — electricity
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. swing — music
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. swing — to play on
  7. chest — of your body
  8. charge — a price
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. chest — a box
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. chest — of your body
  13. scale — size or range
  14. wound — an injury
  15. swing — in golf
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. deal — to handle
  21. wound — an injury
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. charge — in control

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