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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. last — to go on
  5. club — for golf
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — a group
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. wake — a trail
  11. cell — in biology
  12. last — final
  13. last — finally
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — the animal
  16. cell — a phone
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a committee
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. mouse — the animal

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