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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wind — moving air
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cap — a hat
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cap — of ice
  8. object — a thing
  9. degree — temperature
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. cap — a lid
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. degree — from a university
  17. wind — moving air
  18. scale — size or range
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. object — an aim
  21. degree — an amount
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. object — to protest

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