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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hand · bound · swing · charge · wake · drill · racket · deal

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — the tool
  4. swing — music
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. bound — tied together
  11. swing — in golf
  12. hand — in cards
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bound — certain
  15. drill — a practice
  16. charge — a price
  17. bound — obliged
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. charge — electricity
  21. hand — help
  22. charge — in control
  23. swing — to play on
  24. wake — a trail

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