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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. deal — to handle
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. last — final
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — in music
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. wound — an injury
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. club — for dancing
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. club — for golf
  17. wound — an injury
  18. last — finally
  19. club — a group
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. board — a committee
  22. last — to go on
  23. board — to get on
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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