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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: foot · mouse · row · coach · field · safe · charge · swing

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. row — to paddle
  4. field — farmland
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. swing — to play on
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. field — a subject
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. swing — music
  11. field — for sport
  12. row — a line
  13. charge — electricity
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. foot — a measure
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. charge — in control
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. swing — in golf
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. mouse — the 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