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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. file — a tool
  3. charge — a price
  4. file — a line of people
  5. spell — letters
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. scale — size or range
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. file — a document
  11. scale — in music
  12. charge — electricity
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. charge — in control
  16. toast — bread
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter

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