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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 124 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. date — the fruit
  3. scale — in music
  4. charge — in control
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a line
  9. charge — a price
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — high quality
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. race — the arms race
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. race — a contest
  20. race — humankind
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. scale — size or range
  24. charge — electricity

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