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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: swing · bass · pound · temple · kid · charge · safe · cap

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  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. swing — in golf
  2. bass — the fish
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. charge — a price
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. charge — electricity
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. cap — a lid
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. cap — a hat
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. pound — a weight
  16. kid — to tease
  17. charge — in control
  18. cap — of ice
  19. swing — to play on
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. kid — child
  22. bass — low music
  23. temple — side of the head
  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