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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. vault — a safe
  5. last — finally
  6. last — to go on
  7. mug — a face
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. last — final
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — in music
  15. game — a match
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mug — a cup
  18. game — wild animals
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. branch — a division
  24. mouse — the animal

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