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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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. present — the time now
  3. scale — in music
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. roll — a cake
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bass — the fish
  8. stem — to come from
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bass — low music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. roll — a list
  18. wound — an injury
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. present — a gift
  23. present — there
  24. roll — on a 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