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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. charge — in control
  4. suit — clothes
  5. charge — electricity
  6. club — for golf
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. snap — to click
  9. charge — a price
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. suit — to fit
  13. stock — shares
  14. swing — in golf
  15. perch — the fish
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. club — for dancing
  18. swing — to play on
  19. club — a group
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stock — goods
  24. swing — music

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