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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mark — a trace
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. net — for catching
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. game — a match
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. lean — thin
  11. rock — a stone
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. scale — size or range
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. net — after costs
  20. mark — a grade
  21. lean — to bend
  22. net — in sport
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. game — wild animals

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