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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. charge — a price
  3. charge — in control
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. deal — to handle
  6. game — wild animals
  7. saw — the tool
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. swing — in golf
  12. present — a gift
  13. present — the time now
  14. swing — music
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. wax — to grow
  17. game — a match
  18. charge — electricity
  19. swing — to play on
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. present — there
  23. saw — the tool
  24. deal — an agreement

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