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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. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bulb — for light
  3. hand — in cards
  4. swing — to play on
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. squash — the sport
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. face — part of the head
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bulb — for light
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. charge — a price
  15. swing — music
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. face — to confront
  19. squash — to crush
  20. swing — in golf
  21. hand — help
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — hasty
  24. hide — to keep secret

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