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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. rush — hurry
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. chest — of your body
  9. scale — size or range
  10. scale — in music
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. chest — of your body
  16. deal — to handle
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. lean — thin
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. chest — a box
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — in control

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