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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 116 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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. scale — in music
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mark — a grade
  7. chip — to eat
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. fine — all right
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. file — a line of people
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bat — the animal
  15. charge — a price
  16. file — a tool
  17. fine — high quality
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. file — a document
  20. ball — a great time
  21. mark — a trace
  22. ball — a dance
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. charge — in control

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