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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 120 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. bear — the animal
  4. clip — for paper
  5. clip — a video
  6. clip — to cut
  7. board — a committee
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. root — of a plant
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. cell — in biology
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. root — the cause
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. bear — the animal
  18. cell — a phone
  19. board — to get on
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. root — of a word

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