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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. club — for golf
  4. lean — thin
  5. scale — in music
  6. lean — to bend
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. stand — to bear
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. charge — a price
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — clever
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. plane — a tool
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. scale — size or range
  21. club — a group
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. club — for dancing

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