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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 120 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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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 — in music
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. charge — in control
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. cap — a hat
  6. scale — size or range
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. staff — employees
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. cap — a lid
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. charge — a price
  16. board — to get on
  17. cap — of ice
  18. board — a committee
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. staff — employees
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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