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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  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. mug — a cup
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. charge — electricity
  4. firm — decided
  5. charge — a price
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. club — a group
  8. mine — for digging
  9. mug — a face
  10. swing — in golf
  11. press — to push
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. club — for golf
  14. press — a publisher
  15. firm — a company
  16. charge — in control
  17. firm — steady
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. club — for dancing
  20. swing — to play on
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. press — newspapers
  23. mug — to rob
  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