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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — a hole
  4. bound — obliged
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bound — tied together
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. cap — a hat
  9. content — the amount
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bound — certain
  16. cap — a lid
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. content — happy
  20. cap — of ice
  21. toast — bread
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. scale — size or range

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