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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. row — to paddle
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. shower — to wash
  6. scale — in music
  7. charge — a price
  8. row — a line
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. snap — to click
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. shower — rain
  16. scale — size or range
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. deal — to handle
  20. charge — in control
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. charge — electricity
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. chip — to eat

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