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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. charge — electricity
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. charge — a price
  9. snap — to click
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. vault — a safe
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — electric
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. charge — in control
  21. current — of water
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fan — to cool the air

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