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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: deal · racket · charge · stick · land · swing · club · root

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. land — ground
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — to handle
  6. land — to come down
  7. root — of a word
  8. root — of a plant
  9. charge — a price
  10. swing — to play on
  11. club — a group
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. root — the cause
  14. charge — in control
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. charge — electricity
  17. land — a country
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. club — for golf
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. club — for dancing

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