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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  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. swing — to play on
  2. charge — electricity
  3. fork — in a road
  4. charge — a price
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. saw — the tool
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. rock — music
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. swing — in golf
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. saw — the tool
  17. lie — to recline
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. toast — bread
  20. pass — a permit
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. rock — a stone
  23. charge — in control
  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