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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. mark — a trace
  3. cap — a hat
  4. ball — a great time
  5. cap — of ice
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. ball — a dance
  11. season — in sport
  12. staff — a stick
  13. staff — employees
  14. field — farmland
  15. cap — a lid
  16. season — of the year
  17. field — a subject
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. field — for sport
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mark — a grade
  22. staff — employees
  23. scale — size or range
  24. scale — in 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