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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 120 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: clip · pop · coach · swing · ruler · charge · firm · game

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. charge — a price
  4. firm — a company
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pop — music
  7. swing — to play on
  8. clip — for paper
  9. swing — in golf
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. firm — steady
  12. clip — a video
  13. clip — to cut
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pop — soda
  16. game — wild animals
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pop — to visit
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. game — a match
  22. firm — decided
  23. charge — in control
  24. swing — music

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