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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 116 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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fine — high quality
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. club — for dancing
  7. club — a group
  8. bass — the fish
  9. club — for golf
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. charge — electricity
  12. mine — for digging
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. track — a path
  15. bass — low music
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. wax — to grow
  24. mine — an explosive

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