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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: racket · spring · swing · craft · present · game · charge · rest

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. present — the time now
  3. charge — in control
  4. spring — a coil
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. charge — a price
  7. swing — in golf
  8. rest — a break
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. present — there
  13. craft — boats
  14. game — wild animals
  15. spring — the season
  16. craft — a skill
  17. swing — to play on
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. charge — electricity
  20. present — a gift
  21. rest — what's left
  22. swing — music
  23. rest — what's left
  24. spring — of water

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