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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. pop — to visit
  3. stand — to bear
  4. scale — in music
  5. rest — a break
  6. scale — size or range
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bore — to tire
  13. rest — what's left
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pop — soda
  17. pit — a hole
  18. key — in music
  19. charge — a price
  20. pop — music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. charge — in control
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bore — to drill

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