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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.

Make a worksheet

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: scale · content · row · staff · toast · ground · straw · charge

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. staff — employees
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. row — to paddle
  6. charge — in control
  7. toast — bread
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. content — happy
  11. ground — the earth
  12. row — a line
  13. ground — crushed
  14. staff — a stick
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. charge — a price
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. charge — electricity
  19. staff — employees
  20. ground — a position
  21. scale — in music
  22. content — the amount
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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