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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. firm — a company
  6. scale — size or range
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — a permit
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. scale — in music
  13. ball — a great time
  14. rest — a break
  15. firm — decided
  16. rest — what's left
  17. firm — steady
  18. ball — a dance

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