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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: roll · charge · land · jam · swing · ball · fine · hand

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. swing — music
  3. hand — help
  4. roll — a list
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. roll — a cake
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. land — a country
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — in golf
  12. fine — high quality
  13. charge — a price
  14. charge — in control
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. ball — a dance
  19. fine — all right
  20. land — to come down
  21. ball — a great time
  22. land — ground
  23. hand — in cards
  24. charge — electricity

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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