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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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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: march · scale · bowl · board · fan · charge · wave · lean

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. march — music
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. board — to get on
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. scale — in music
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. board — a committee
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — in control
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. march — the month
  21. lean — to bend
  22. charge — a price
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. scale — size or range

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