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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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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: chip · bowl · charge · bay · lash · court · drill · scale

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. drill — a practice
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. court — for sport
  5. charge — a price
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. scale — size or range
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. charge — in control
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — for betting
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. drill — the tool
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. court — of a king
  16. drill — army training
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. court — of law
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. charge — electricity
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bowl — to roll

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