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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. present — there
  4. charge — a price
  5. game — wild animals
  6. swing — music
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. saw — the tool
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pitch — completely
  14. swing — to play on
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. present — the time now
  17. swing — in golf
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. charge — electricity
  22. present — a gift
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. game — a match

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