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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. scale — in music
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bear — the animal
  8. current — electric
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. current — of water
  12. hand — help
  13. current — happening now
  14. cap — of ice
  15. hand — in cards
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. scale — size or range
  18. cap — a lid

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