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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 120 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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. object — to protest
  3. scale — in music
  4. wax — to grow
  5. club — a group
  6. object — a thing
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. perch — the fish
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. club — for dancing
  13. scale — size or range
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. charge — in control
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — music
  18. charge — electricity
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. charge — a price
  22. rock — a stone
  23. object — an aim
  24. club — for golf

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