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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. charge — electricity
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. cue — for pool
  5. degree — temperature
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. kick — in football
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. charge — a price
  12. lean — to bend
  13. charge — in control
  14. cue — a signal
  15. spring — the season
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. spring — a coil
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — to handle
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. lean — thin
  23. cue — a hint
  24. spring — of water

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