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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. deal — to handle
  3. race — humankind
  4. file — a tool
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. squash — the sport
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. file — a line of people
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. can — a tin
  14. scale — size or range
  15. race — the arms race
  16. cap — of ice
  17. file — a document
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — a hat
  20. bulb — for light
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. race — a contest
  24. bulb — for light

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