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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. mark — a grade
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. stem — to come from
  11. ball — a great time
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. mark — a trace
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. scale — size or range
  16. ball — a dance
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. ball — a round shape

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