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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rash — hasty
  4. charge — a price
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mark — a grade
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. rash — a series
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pop — to visit
  11. scale — in music
  12. scale — size or range
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. prune — to trim
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. dip — to sink
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pop — music
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pop — soda

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