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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: dip · firm · pass · spell · swing · hide · charge · cabinet

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. charge — a price
  3. swing — in golf
  4. pass — a permit
  5. dip — to sink
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. firm — steady
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. spell — letters
  10. spell — magic
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. swing — to play on
  14. firm — a company
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. swing — music
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. charge — electricity
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. charge — in control
  24. firm — decided

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