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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: saw · file · bowl · land · hide · cap · charge · swing

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. cap — a hat
  4. land — to come down
  5. cap — of ice
  6. file — a line of people
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. land — a country
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. charge — electricity
  11. swing — in golf
  12. cap — a lid
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. land — ground
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. saw — the tool
  21. file — a document
  22. charge — a price
  23. file — a tool
  24. charge — in control

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