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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.

Make a worksheet

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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. prune — to trim
  3. scale — in music
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. prune — to trim
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. charge — in control
  10. scale — size or range
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. fine — high quality
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chair — a leader
  16. charge — electricity
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fine — all right
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. game — wild animals
  24. charge — a price

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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