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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
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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: scale · charge · rule · bay · shower · pass · cap · ground

  1. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. shower — to wash
  3. pass — a permit
  4. charge — electricity
  5. scale — in music
  6. cap — a lid
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. charge — a price
  9. ground — crushed
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. cap — of ice
  12. ground — the earth
  13. cap — a hat
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. ground — a position
  17. shower — rain
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — government
  20. charge — in control
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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