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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. net — for catching
  4. can — a tin
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. net — after costs
  7. race — the arms race
  8. race — humankind
  9. march — the month
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. march — the month
  13. lean — thin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. lean — to bend
  16. race — a contest
  17. net — in sport
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. date — the fruit
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. scale — in music
  23. can — a tin
  24. march — 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