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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. squash — to crush
  3. scale — size or range
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. club — a group
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bound — tied together
  9. club — for golf
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. charge — a price
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — in music
  15. charge — in control
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. squash — the sport
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ball — a great time
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. club — for dancing

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