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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. scale — size or range
  3. track — a song
  4. ground — the earth
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. scale — in music
  7. charge — a price
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. charge — in control
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cap — a hat
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. cap — a lid
  14. charge — electricity
  15. lie — to recline
  16. track — to keep track
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. track — a path
  20. ground — crushed
  21. mark — a trace
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. cap — of ice
  24. ground — a position

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