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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 · calf · saw · bowl · cap · stand · mate · charge

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. mate — a friend
  6. charge — in control
  7. swing — in golf
  8. mate — to breed
  9. swing — to play on
  10. stand — to bear
  11. charge — a price
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. cap — a hat
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. cap — a lid
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mate — a partner
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. cap — of ice
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. calf — a young animal

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