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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. scale — in music
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. cap — a lid
  8. scale — size or range
  9. game — a match
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cap — of ice
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. cap — a hat
  14. stand — to bear
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. game — wild animals
  20. row — to paddle
  21. row — a line
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. suit — in cards
  24. game — a kind of play

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