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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. scale — in music
  3. scale — size or range
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. march — music
  7. rash — hasty
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. rash — a series
  10. charge — a price
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. capital — a city
  14. march — the month
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. capital — money
  17. charge — electricity
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. charge — in control
  20. march — the month
  21. rock — music
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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