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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. charge — in control
  3. field — farmland
  4. swing — music
  5. rock — music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rock — a stone
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. field — a subject
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. field — for sport
  15. swing — to play on
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bark — to shout
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. charge — a price
  24. lie — an untruth

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