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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. roll — a list
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rest — what's left
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. charge — electricity
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. drill — the tool
  10. key — for a lock
  11. rest — a break
  12. key — the most important part
  13. rest — what's left
  14. charge — a price
  15. key — in music
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. drill — army training
  19. scale — size or range
  20. charge — in control
  21. mug — a face
  22. drill — a practice
  23. scale — in music
  24. mug — a cup

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