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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. date — the fruit
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. charge — electricity
  8. scale — size or range
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. plane — a tool
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. charge — a price
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. charge — in control
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. stock — goods
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. chair — a leader
  24. nail — on a finger

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