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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. swing — to play on
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — all right
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pass — a permit
  19. charge — in control
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. scale — size or range
  24. saw — the tool

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