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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. scale — in music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. court — of a king
  6. scale — size or range
  7. swing — to play on
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. mark — a trace
  10. swing — music
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. court — of law
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. mark — a grade
  18. court — for sport
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. can — to be able to
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — to sink
  24. hide — animal skin

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