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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — in music
  4. spell — magic
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. scale — size or range
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. foot — a measure
  10. rock — music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. spell — a short time
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. rock — a stone
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant

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