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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. scale — in music
  5. charge — in control
  6. rash — hasty
  7. pass — a permit
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rest — a break
  10. lean — thin
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cell — in biology
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rash — a series
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. scale — size or range
  23. charge — a price
  24. lean — to bend

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