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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 116 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. charge — electricity
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. cap — a hat
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. scale — size or range
  9. scale — in music
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. charge — a price
  17. rock — music
  18. staff — employees
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rock — a stone
  21. cap — of ice
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. cap — a lid
  24. charge — in control

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