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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. row — to paddle
  3. chest — of your body
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. charge — in control
  7. pop — soda
  8. scale — in music
  9. pop — to visit
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. row — a line
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. chest — a box
  14. pop — music
  15. chest — of your body
  16. pitch — completely
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. mark — a trace
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. charge — a price
  23. mark — a grade
  24. charge — electricity

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