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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. wax — to grow
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. charge — in control
  9. spring — of water
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. season — of the year
  12. roll — a cake
  13. spring — a coil
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. charge — electricity
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. spring — the season
  19. charge — a price
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. season — in sport
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. roll — a list

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