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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 120 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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. scale — size or range
  3. band — a ring
  4. degree — temperature
  5. firm — decided
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. swing — in golf
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. degree — from a university
  11. swing — to play on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pop — soda
  15. pop — music
  16. firm — a company
  17. degree — an amount
  18. firm — steady
  19. pop — to visit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. band — a music group
  24. swing — music

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