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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. foot — a measure
  3. swing — to play on
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. rest — what's left
  9. chest — a box
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. chest — of your body
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. can — to be able to
  16. chest — of your body
  17. swing — music
  18. rest — what's left
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. swing — in golf
  22. rest — a break
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — happy

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