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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: face · pass · swing · rock · scale · present · charge · pit

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. swing — to play on
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — a permit
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pit — in a race
  8. present — a gift
  9. pit — a hole
  10. charge — a price
  11. scale — size or range
  12. rock — a stone
  13. swing — music
  14. charge — in control
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. present — the time now
  17. swing — in golf
  18. face — part of the head
  19. rock — music
  20. present — there
  21. face — to point toward
  22. charge — electricity
  23. face — to confront
  24. rock — to move gently

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