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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. club — for dancing
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bass — low music
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. cap — a hat
  7. scale — in music
  8. rest — what's left
  9. can — a tin
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bore — to drill
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. rest — a break
  15. bass — the fish
  16. fine — high quality
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. fine — all right
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bore — to tire
  21. club — for golf
  22. cap — a lid
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. club — a group

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