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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. cap — of ice
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. can — to be able to
  5. suit — to fit
  6. spring — of water
  7. cap — a hat
  8. board — a committee
  9. suit — clothes
  10. can — a tin
  11. spring — a coil
  12. suit — in cards
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. cap — a lid
  15. can — a tin
  16. scale — size or range
  17. spring — the season
  18. board — to get on

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