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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pop — music
  3. charge — electricity
  4. mark — a trace
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. pop — soda
  7. scale — in music
  8. pop — to visit
  9. rule — government
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. mark — a grade
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. staff — employees
  14. scale — size or range
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. charge — a price
  17. staff — employees
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — clever
  20. staff — a stick
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rule — a law
  24. bulb — for light

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