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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 120 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: snap · charge · season · rest · cabinet · fan · swing · current

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  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. swing — to play on
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. charge — electricity
  4. swing — music
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. rest — what's left
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. charge — a price
  9. season — of the year
  10. rest — what's left
  11. snap — to click
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. current — electric
  15. season — in sport
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. charge — in control
  20. current — of water
  21. rest — a break
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. current — happening now
  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