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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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. charge — electricity
  3. swing — music
  4. firm — decided
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. firm — a company
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. charge — in control
  10. hand — in cards
  11. charge — a price
  12. firm — steady
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. court — for sport
  19. swing — in golf
  20. swing — to play on
  21. hand — help
  22. court — of a king
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. court — of law

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