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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 116 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. scale — size or range
  6. rock — music
  7. branch — a division
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. rock — a stone
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. snap — to click

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