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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. charge — in control
  5. wound — an injury
  6. capital — money
  7. pound — a weight
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. charge — a price
  12. rock — music
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. rock — a stone
  19. capital — a city
  20. wound — an injury
  21. swing — to play on
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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