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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. charge — in control
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. swing — to play on
  6. squash — the sport
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. perch — the fish
  9. fine — all right
  10. swing — music
  11. fine — high quality
  12. lean — to bend
  13. charge — electricity
  14. swing — in golf
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. lean — thin
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. foot — a measure
  19. mark — a grade
  20. squash — to crush
  21. mark — a trace
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. foot — part of the body

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