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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 120 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. charge — a price
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. charge — in control
  7. mark — a grade
  8. face — to point toward
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. face — part of the head
  14. branch — a division
  15. mark — a trace
  16. face — to confront
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — a law
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. charge — electricity

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