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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 116 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. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mate — a friend
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. club — for dancing
  6. field — farmland
  7. bear — the animal
  8. club — for golf
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. club — a group
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. field — for sport
  15. mate — to breed
  16. stock — shares
  17. field — a subject
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. board — a committee
  21. stock — goods
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — size or range
  24. board — to get on

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