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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. lean — to bend
  4. club — a group
  5. ball — a dance
  6. charge — in control
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. saw — the tool
  11. game — a match
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. club — for dancing
  14. charge — electricity
  15. ball — a great time
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. lean — thin
  18. wax — to grow
  19. charge — a price
  20. game — wild animals
  21. scale — in music
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. club — for golf
  24. saw — the tool

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