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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · swing · court · scale · bass · lie · bay · mug

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  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. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bass — low music
  3. mug — to rob
  4. swing — to play on
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. charge — a price
  8. lie — to recline
  9. court — of law
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. court — for sport
  17. mug — a face
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. scale — size or range
  21. swing — music
  22. court — of a king
  23. charge — electricity
  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