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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. degree — from a university
  4. staff — employees
  5. land — ground
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. staff — a stick
  8. land — a country
  9. degree — temperature
  10. game — wild animals
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. game — a match
  14. charge — a price
  15. land — to come down
  16. staff — employees
  17. scale — size or range
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. charge — electricity
  20. degree — an amount
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bulb — for light
  23. charge — in control
  24. hide — to keep secret

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