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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 120 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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. stand — to bear
  3. lean — to bend
  4. ground — the earth
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. net — for catching
  8. ground — crushed
  9. net — after costs
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. net — in sport
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. cue — a hint
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. cue — a signal
  17. lean — thin
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. scale — size or range
  20. cue — for pool
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mark — a grade
  23. ground — a position
  24. mark — a trace

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