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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. roll — a list
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bear — the animal
  7. spell — magic
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bound — obliged
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. firm — steady
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. scale — in music
  15. spell — a short time
  16. bound — certain
  17. firm — a company
  18. spell — letters
  19. bear — the animal
  20. scale — size or range
  21. bound — tied together
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pitch — completely
  24. firm — decided

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