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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. cap — a hat
  3. scale — size or range
  4. season — in sport
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. chest — of your body
  7. rock — a stone
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. cap — of ice
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. saw — the tool
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rock — music
  20. chest — a box
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. chest — of your body
  23. cap — a lid
  24. saw — 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