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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. scale — size or range
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pop — soda
  7. fine — all right
  8. cue — for pool
  9. pop — music
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. charge — in control
  12. fork — in a road
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. cue — a hint
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. fine — high quality
  21. charge — electricity
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. charge — a price
  24. scale — in music

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