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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 · row · bay · ball · deal · scale · mark · pass

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. charge — in control
  3. scale — in music
  4. row — a line
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. charge — a price
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. mark — a trace
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. ball — a dance
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. row — to paddle
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. pass — a permit
  24. mark — a grade

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