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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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. swing — in golf
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. march — the month
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fine — high quality
  7. swing — to play on
  8. march — music
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. fine — all right
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — moving air
  20. swing — music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. scale — size or range
  24. march — the month

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