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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. scale — size or range
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. scale — in music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. drill — army training
  7. suit — in cards
  8. pound — a weight
  9. drill — the tool
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. suit — to fit
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bulb — for light
  17. row — to paddle
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. wax — to grow
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. row — a line
  24. scale — for weighing

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