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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 116 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pop — soda
  3. season — of the year
  4. swing — to play on
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. swing — music
  7. bank — for money
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. face — to point toward
  12. pop — music
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pop — to visit
  17. season — in sport
  18. swing — in golf
  19. face — to confront
  20. bank — for money
  21. face — part of the head
  22. wound — an injury
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. wound — an injury

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