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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. race — a contest
  3. charge — a price
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — the season
  6. race — the arms race
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. race — humankind
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. swing — in golf
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. charge — electricity
  15. band — a music group
  16. swing — to play on
  17. scale — in music
  18. suit — clothes
  19. scale — size or range
  20. charge — in control
  21. band — a ring
  22. suit — to fit
  23. swing — music
  24. suit — in cards

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