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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. swing — in golf
  3. chip — for betting
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mate — a friend
  6. season — in sport
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. swing — music
  11. face — to point toward
  12. charge — electricity
  13. can — to be able to
  14. season — of the year
  15. chip — to eat
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. can — a tin
  18. face — to confront
  19. can — a tin
  20. charge — a price
  21. rock — music
  22. face — part of the head
  23. charge — in control
  24. mate — to breed

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