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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: fine · scale · lie · bulb · pit · wake · charge · shower

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. charge — a price
  3. scale — size or range
  4. wake — a trail
  5. shower — to wash
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. pit — a hole
  8. fine — all right
  9. charge — electricity
  10. scale — in music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. shower — rain
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. charge — in control
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bulb — for light
  23. pit — in a race
  24. fine — high quality

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