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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: swing · charge · present · fine · fall · race · kick · cue

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. fall — the season
  3. cue — for pool
  4. present — a gift
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. charge — electricity
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. charge — in control
  9. present — the time now
  10. cue — a hint
  11. swing — to play on
  12. cue — a signal
  13. race — a contest
  14. kick — in football
  15. swing — in golf
  16. fine — high quality
  17. present — there
  18. fall — to drop
  19. charge — a price
  20. swing — music
  21. race — humankind
  22. race — the arms race
  23. fine — all right
  24. fall — to drop

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