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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  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. scale — size or range
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — electricity
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. file — a line of people
  8. charge — a price
  9. present — a gift
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. scale — in music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. file — a document
  15. present — there
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pit — in a race
  18. present — the time now
  19. file — a tool
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. scale — for weighing
  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