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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. firm — decided
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. clip — a video
  6. firm — a company
  7. clip — for paper
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. rest — what's left
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. firm — steady
  14. can — a tin
  15. clip — to cut
  16. rest — a break
  17. foot — a measure
  18. mine — for digging
  19. ball — a dance
  20. scale — size or range
  21. ball — a great time
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mine — an explosive

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