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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. hand — in cards
  3. club — for dancing
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. can — a tin
  6. pass — a permit
  7. land — ground
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. hand — help
  11. club — a group
  12. land — a country
  13. can — to be able to
  14. club — for golf
  15. land — to come down
  16. season — in sport
  17. wake — a trail
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. scale — size or range
  20. season — of the year
  21. can — a tin
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. wake — before a funeral

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