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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. bore — to tire
  3. saw — the tool
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. charge — in control
  6. face — part of the head
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. scale — in music
  11. face — to confront
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. stand — to bear
  20. face — to point toward
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the fish
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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