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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: racket · present · scale · charge · wind · lean · cabinet · deal

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. deal — to handle
  4. charge — a price
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. present — the time now
  10. scale — size or range
  11. wind — moving air
  12. lean — to bend
  13. wind — moving air
  14. lean — thin
  15. present — there
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. scale — in music
  19. charge — electricity
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. charge — in control

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