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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: charge · present · tear · mouse · row · bear · temple · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. tear — from crying
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. tear — from crying
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bear — the animal
  9. row — a line
  10. swing — music
  11. charge — in control
  12. row — to paddle
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. bear — the animal
  19. tear — to rip
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. swing — to play on
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. present — there
  24. charge — a price

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