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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. charge — electricity
  3. wind — moving air
  4. scale — in music
  5. scale — size or range
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bound — obliged
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. charge — a price
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bound — tied together
  15. vault — a safe
  16. craft — boats
  17. wind — moving air
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. charge — in control
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bound — certain

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