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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. swing — music
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. present — the time now
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. swing — in golf
  14. charge — a price
  15. present — a gift
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. roll — a list
  18. charge — electricity
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. roll — a cake
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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