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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. ball — a dance
  3. clip — for paper
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. club — a group
  6. staff — a stick
  7. staff — employees
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. scale — size or range
  11. club — for dancing
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — in control
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. clip — a video
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. ball — a great time
  18. clip — to cut
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. charge — electricity
  21. club — for golf
  22. staff — employees
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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