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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. perch — the fish
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pit — a hole
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. charge — in control
  10. content — happy
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. charge — a price
  17. content — the amount
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. saw — the tool
  23. scale — size or range
  24. scale — in music

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