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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — in music
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. charge — electricity
  5. board — a committee
  6. rush — hurry
  7. press — newspapers
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. row — to paddle
  10. charge — in control
  11. fork — in a road
  12. press — to push
  13. press — a publisher
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. board — to get on
  17. charge — a price
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. row — a line
  23. scale — size or range
  24. fork — a garden 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