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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. rush — hurry
  3. mate — a friend
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. mate — to breed
  7. can — a tin
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. can — a tin
  11. pound — a weight
  12. can — to be able to
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. mate — a partner
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. scale — size or range
  18. mouse — the animal

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