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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: fall · plane · cue · current · charge · season · bat · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. season — in sport
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. fall — to drop
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. charge — in control
  9. season — of the year
  10. cue — for pool
  11. current — of water
  12. bat — the animal
  13. fall — the season
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. fall — to drop
  17. charge — a price
  18. cue — a hint
  19. current — electric
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. current — happening now
  22. charge — electricity
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. cue — a signal

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