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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. cap — a hat
  4. scale — in music
  5. can — to be able to
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stem — to come from
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. ball — a great time
  12. dip — to sink
  13. can — a tin
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. can — a tin
  19. cap — of ice
  20. key — for a lock
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. cap — a lid
  23. stand — to bear
  24. ball — a round shape

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