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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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bear — the animal
  5. charge — in control
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bear — the animal
  8. swing — to play on
  9. swing — in golf
  10. season — of the year
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bass — low music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bass — the fish
  17. charge — a price
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — magic
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. swing — music
  24. nail — for a hammer

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