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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bear — the animal
  6. scale — in music
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. scale — size or range
  11. wake — a trail
  12. bear — the animal
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. sharp — clever
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. ruler — for measuring

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