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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 116 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. bulb — for light
  4. land — ground
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. key — for a lock
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. branch — a division
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bulb — for light
  16. land — to come down
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — a lid
  22. land — a country
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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