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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. club — for golf
  6. file — a document
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. root — of a word
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. file — a line of people
  11. club — for dancing
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. root — the cause
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. rock — a stone
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. club — a group
  19. scale — size or range
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. file — a tool
  22. root — of a plant
  23. wake — a trail
  24. rock — music

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