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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — to play on
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. charge — a price
  5. can — to be able to
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. rule — a law
  11. mine — for digging
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. rule — government
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. can — a tin
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. can — a tin
  24. swing — music

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