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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. field — for sport
  3. pop — to visit
  4. scale — in music
  5. charge — in control
  6. field — a subject
  7. scale — size or range
  8. toast — bread
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. field — farmland
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. plane — a tool
  14. pop — music
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. charge — electricity
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. charge — a price
  21. pop — soda
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. toast — the most admired

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