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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. pop — music
  4. scale — in music
  5. spell — a short time
  6. spell — magic
  7. toast — bread
  8. pop — soda
  9. charge — a price
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — a match
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. scale — size or range
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. capital — money
  17. charge — electricity
  18. spell — letters
  19. game — wild animals
  20. pop — to visit
  21. capital — a city
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. charge — in control
  24. capital — a big letter

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