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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — in control
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. swing — music
  7. roll — a list
  8. charge — electricity
  9. key — in music
  10. row — a line
  11. ball — a dance
  12. row — to paddle
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. key — the most important part
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — to play on
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. roll — a cake
  19. cell — in biology
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. key — for a lock
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. cell — a phone
  24. arm — a part of something

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