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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. pit — in a race
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. scale — in music
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. capital — a city
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bass — low music
  12. rush — hurry
  13. scale — size or range
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pit — a hole
  16. capital — money
  17. charge — in control
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. bass — the fish
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. charge — a price

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