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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. suit — to fit
  4. spell — letters
  5. suit — in cards
  6. spell — a short time
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. deal — to handle
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. fine — all right
  16. scale — size or range
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pass — a permit
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. spell — magic
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. fine — a penalty

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