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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: swing · cap · lean · mark · game · charge · key · rule

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. rule — government
  3. mark — a trace
  4. key — in music
  5. key — the most important part
  6. swing — music
  7. charge — in control
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. swing — in golf
  10. game — wild animals
  11. lean — thin
  12. swing — to play on
  13. rule — a law
  14. lean — to bend
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. charge — a price
  18. key — for a lock
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. cap — a hat
  22. game — a match
  23. charge — electricity
  24. cap — of ice

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