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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: leaves · scale · pitch · shower · land · safe · charge · bass

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. charge — in control
  3. bass — the fish
  4. charge — electricity
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. land — a country
  7. pitch — completely
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. scale — in music
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. land — ground
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. shower — to wash
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. charge — a price
  20. scale — size or range
  21. land — to come down
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bass — low music

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