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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · court · dip · fine · mouse · charge · racket

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. swing — in golf
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. cap — a hat
  5. court — of a king
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. fine — all right
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. cap — of ice
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. dip — to sink
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. court — for sport
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. court — of law
  18. cap — a lid
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. fine — high quality
  23. swing — music
  24. swing — to play on

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