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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: fine · clip · bat · firm · pitcher · suit · charge · swing

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. swing — in golf
  3. firm — a company
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — a price
  6. fine — high quality
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. firm — decided
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. clip — for paper
  13. clip — a video
  14. clip — to cut
  15. swing — music
  16. fine — all right
  17. swing — to play on
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bat — the animal
  21. suit — clothes
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. firm — steady

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