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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. charge — a price
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. scale — in music
  5. wound — an injury
  6. ground — the earth
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. scale — size or range
  11. current — happening now
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. current — electric
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. ground — crushed
  16. present — the time now
  17. ground — a position
  18. current — of water
  19. charge — electricity
  20. present — there
  21. stand — to bear
  22. wound — an injury
  23. present — a gift
  24. charge — in control

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