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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 120 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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bass — the fish
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. scale — in music
  8. land — ground
  9. scale — size or range
  10. object — a thing
  11. stand — to bear
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. charge — a price
  19. object — to protest
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. land — to come down
  22. object — an aim
  23. land — a country
  24. bass — low 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