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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 120 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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — in control
  4. pop — to visit
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bear — the animal
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. band — a ring
  10. band — a music group
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. charge — a price
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. row — a line
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. foot — a measure
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. pop — music
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. row — to paddle
  23. pop — soda
  24. bear — the animal

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