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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. scale — in music
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. charge — electricity
  8. kid — child
  9. charge — a price
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. last — final
  12. scale — size or range
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mug — a face
  15. kid — to tease
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. mug — a cup
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. last — finally
  22. last — to go on
  23. charge — in control
  24. bark — to shout

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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