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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. swing — to play on
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — in control
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. mug — a face
  9. face — to point toward
  10. mug — to rob
  11. suit — to fit
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — part of the head
  14. kid — child
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. suit — in cards
  18. swing — in golf
  19. pound — a weight
  20. suit — clothes
  21. kid — to tease
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. swing — music
  24. arm — 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