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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: row · track · bowl · bulb · hand · face · swing · charge

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. track — a path
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. row — to paddle
  6. charge — a price
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. bulb — for light
  9. swing — to play on
  10. track — a song
  11. hand — in cards
  12. bulb — for light
  13. face — part of the head
  14. face — to confront
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. track — to keep track
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. charge — in control
  21. hand — help
  22. face — to point toward
  23. row — a line
  24. swing — music

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