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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a cup
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. mate — a partner
  7. toast — bread
  8. scale — in music
  9. mug — a face
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mate — a friend
  18. row — to paddle
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. mate — to breed
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. stem — to come from
  23. row — a line
  24. bowl — to roll

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