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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. land — a country
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. date — the fruit
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. charge — electricity
  8. scale — in music
  9. charge — in control
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pitch — completely
  14. charge — a price
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. land — ground

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