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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. charge — electricity
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. can — a tin
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cap — a lid
  8. rock — a stone
  9. spell — a short time
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. can — a tin
  12. scale — size or range
  13. cap — a hat
  14. scale — in music
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. cap — of ice
  17. spell — letters
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. spell — magic
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. can — to be able to
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — a price
  24. ruler — a monarch

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