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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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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: dip · rest · bay · charge · patient · trunk · bass · swing

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. swing — music
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. charge — in control
  8. bass — low music
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. swing — to play on
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bass — the fish
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rest — what's left
  19. swing — in golf
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. rest — a break
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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