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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. charge — in control
  4. firm — a company
  5. scale — in music
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. firm — steady
  10. plane — a tool
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. charge — electricity
  13. hand — in cards
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rest — a break
  16. current — electric
  17. firm — decided
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. current — of water
  21. scale — size or range
  22. charge — a price
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. current — happening now

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