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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · fine · wind · swing · charge · patient · game

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. fine — high quality
  3. game — a match
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. swing — to play on
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. firm — steady
  10. dip — to sink
  11. charge — a price
  12. firm — a company
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. fine — all right
  15. charge — in control
  16. wind — moving air
  17. swing — music
  18. firm — decided
  19. swing — in golf
  20. wind — moving air
  21. game — wild animals
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — a sauce

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