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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. swing — to play on
  3. scale — size or range
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. charge — a price
  10. swing — in golf
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. swing — music
  13. last — to go on
  14. ball — a dance
  15. craft — a skill
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. scale — in music
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. snap — to click
  22. last — final
  23. craft — boats
  24. last — finally

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