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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: swing · bay · mug · deal · nail · mark · charge · spring

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. mark — a grade
  4. charge — electricity
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. swing — to play on
  9. mug — to rob
  10. spring — of water
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mark — a trace
  14. charge — a price
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. mug — a cup
  18. spring — a coil
  19. charge — in control
  20. deal — to handle
  21. spring — the season
  22. swing — music
  23. mug — a face
  24. swing — in golf

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