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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. face — part of the head
  3. board — to get on
  4. pop — music
  5. scale — size or range
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. face — to confront
  8. charge — a price
  9. tear — to rip
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. wax — to grow
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. tear — from crying
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. pop — soda
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. pop — to visit
  22. tear — from crying
  23. charge — electricity
  24. scale — in music

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