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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. charge — a price
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — a coil
  5. charge — in control
  6. clip — to cut
  7. swing — music
  8. charge — electricity
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. rock — music
  11. clip — a video
  12. clip — for paper
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. stand — to bear
  15. cue — for pool
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. spring — of water
  18. cue — a hint
  19. swing — to play on
  20. cue — a signal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. rock — a stone
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. swing — in golf

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