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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — electricity
  4. cold — an illness
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. cold — not warm
  11. bass — low music
  12. charge — a price
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. scale — in music
  17. bass — the fish
  18. foot — a measure
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bowl — a football final

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