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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. charge — in control
  3. cue — a hint
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. club — a group
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. club — for golf
  8. cue — a signal
  9. date — the fruit
  10. track — to keep track
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. scale — in music
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. track — a path
  15. press — a publisher
  16. track — a song
  17. club — for dancing
  18. press — to push
  19. press — newspapers
  20. charge — a price
  21. cue — for pool
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. patient — a sick person
  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