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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: cell · firm · row · rash · band · scale · charge · rock

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. rash — a series
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. band — a ring
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. charge — in control
  8. row — a line
  9. rock — music
  10. charge — a price
  11. cell — in biology
  12. firm — a company
  13. charge — electricity
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. cell — a phone
  18. band — a music group
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — in music
  21. row — to paddle
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — decided
  24. cell — in a prison

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