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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. swing — in golf
  3. charge — in control
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. charge — electricity
  7. tube — a container
  8. bear — the animal
  9. charge — a price
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. capital — money
  12. swing — music
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. roll — a cake
  17. lie — to recline
  18. tube — the underground
  19. deal — to handle
  20. roll — a list
  21. capital — a city
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bear — the animal
  24. tube — in a tire

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