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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. rock — a stone
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. hand — in cards
  7. degree — an amount
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — to handle
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. hand — help
  13. scale — size or range
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. degree — from a university
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. scale — in music
  20. rock — music
  21. degree — temperature
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — a leader

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