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

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — electricity
  3. scale — in music
  4. mate — a friend
  5. charge — in control
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. season — in sport
  8. mate — a partner
  9. present — there
  10. season — of the year
  11. ball — a great time
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — a gift
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — in music
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. ball — a dance
  19. mate — to breed
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. perch — the fish
  22. scale — size or range
  23. key — the most important part
  24. perch — for a bird

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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