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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. charge — electricity
  8. hand — in cards
  9. scale — size or range
  10. charge — in control
  11. net — in sport
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. charge — a price
  14. net — for catching
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. net — after costs
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. cell — in biology
  23. hand — help
  24. chair — a leader

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