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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. track — a path
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. deal — to handle
  7. rush — hurry
  8. scale — size or range
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wound — an injury
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. dip — to sink
  17. prune — to trim
  18. track — to keep track
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. wound — an injury
  22. track — a song
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. rush — a thrill

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