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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. charge — in control
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. suit — in cards
  7. row — to paddle
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. row — a line
  10. suit — to fit
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. swing — to play on
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bulb — for light
  18. swing — music
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bulb — for light

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