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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. tube — the underground
  3. charge — in control
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. tube — a container
  7. rule — government
  8. rock — music
  9. row — to paddle
  10. row — a line
  11. ground — the earth
  12. rule — a law
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. date — the fruit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. scale — size or range
  17. ground — crushed
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. charge — electricity
  21. ground — a position
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. charge — a price
  24. rock — to move gently

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