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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: mug · charge · scale · nail · mine · ground · firm · face

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. charge — in control
  3. scale — in music
  4. firm — steady
  5. mug — to rob
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — electricity
  8. scale — size or range
  9. ground — a position
  10. mug — a face
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. face — to confront
  13. face — part of the head
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. ground — the earth
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. firm — a company
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. firm — decided
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. mine — for digging
  24. face — to point toward

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