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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mine — for digging
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. chair — a leader
  12. scale — in music
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. toast — bread
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. shower — rain
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. shower — to wash
  24. chair — to sit on

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