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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. swing — music
  3. cold — the Cold War
  4. wound — an injury
  5. cold — an illness
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cold — not warm
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. pass — a permit
  11. charge — a price
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. swing — to play on
  15. cap — of ice
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. swing — in golf
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a great time
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — a lid

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