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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 120 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: present · lie · cabinet · bear · swing · season · charge · arm

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. charge — in control
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. swing — to play on
  8. lie — to recline
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. charge — a price
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. present — there
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — in sport
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. swing — in golf
  22. present — the time now
  23. swing — music
  24. present — a gift

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