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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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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. track — to keep track
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. charge — electricity
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. hand — help
  9. scale — size or range
  10. hand — in cards
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. track — a song
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. charge — a price
  16. court — of law
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. court — for sport
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. court — of a king
  23. track — a path
  24. charge — in control

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