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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. object — to protest
  5. present — the time now
  6. hand — in cards
  7. charge — in control
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. present — a gift
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. present — there
  18. object — a thing
  19. scale — in music
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. hand — help
  23. lean — thin
  24. object — an aim

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