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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — in music
  3. rock — music
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wake — a trail
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. mark — a trace
  23. rock — a stone
  24. mark — a grade

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