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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. scale — in music
  3. drill — army training
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. dip — to sink
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. cell — in biology
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. toast — bread
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. swing — to play on
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. scale — size or range
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. swing — music
  20. drill — a practice
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bass — low music
  24. drill — the tool

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