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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. charge — electricity
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. key — for a lock
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pitch — completely
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. key — in music
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. charge — a price
  12. key — the most important part
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. rest — a break
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. charge — in control
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. ball — a dance
  21. stem — to come from
  22. scale — in music
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. pitch — a sports field

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