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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. scale — in music
  4. ball — a dance
  5. ball — a great time
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. face — to point toward
  8. shower — to wash
  9. shower — rain
  10. charge — in control
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. track — a song
  13. charge — electricity
  14. scale — size or range
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. track — to keep track
  17. dip — to sink
  18. charge — a price
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. track — a path
  21. perch — the fish
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — part of the head
  24. dip — a sauce

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