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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
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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: bowl · charge · key · pitch · mug · swing · current · clip

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. current — happening now
  3. swing — music
  4. clip — for paper
  5. swing — to play on
  6. key — for a lock
  7. current — of water
  8. current — electric
  9. charge — electricity
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. mug — to rob
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. mug — a face
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pitch — completely
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — a price
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. clip — a video
  23. mug — a cup
  24. swing — in golf

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