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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: kick · squash · swing · mate · prune · charge · coach · bowl

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. swing — music
  3. squash — to crush
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. mate — to breed
  7. kick — in football
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. mate — a friend
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. charge — a price
  17. mate — a partner
  18. charge — in control
  19. charge — electricity
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. swing — to play on
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. prune — to trim

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