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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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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. mate — a partner
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. mate — to breed
  6. current — happening now
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. ground — crushed
  9. ball — a dance
  10. current — of water
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. ground — the earth
  14. mate — a friend
  15. ground — a position
  16. toast — bread
  17. scale — in music
  18. current — electric

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