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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: charge · fan · mark · scale · staff · swing · safe · wake

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mark — a grade
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. charge — a price
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. staff — employees
  10. swing — to play on
  11. charge — electricity
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. wake — a trail
  14. mark — a trace
  15. scale — in music
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. staff — employees
  18. scale — size or range
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. charge — in control

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