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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. charge — electricity
  5. scale — in music
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bear — the animal
  8. scale — size or range
  9. capital — a city
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. capital — money
  12. charge — in control
  13. cue — a hint
  14. charge — a price
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. track — to keep track
  17. track — a song
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. track — a path
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cue — a signal

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