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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. file — a line of people
  3. charge — in control
  4. swing — in golf
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bass — the fish
  7. file — a tool
  8. swing — music
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. swing — to play on
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bass — low music
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mark — a grade
  22. charge — electricity
  23. file — a document
  24. mine — an explosive

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