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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: jam · present · swing · pitch · charge · firm · squash · bound

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  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. charge — a price
  2. squash — the sport
  3. swing — in golf
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. charge — in control
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bound — tied together
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bound — certain
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. present — the time now
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bound — obliged
  16. swing — to play on
  17. squash — to crush
  18. present — there
  19. swing — music
  20. present — a gift
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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