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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 116 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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. lie — to recline
  3. rest — a break
  4. bound — obliged
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rest — what's left
  13. root — of a plant
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. scale — size or range
  16. cell — in biology
  17. root — the cause
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bound — certain
  20. rest — what's left
  21. mine — for digging
  22. root — of a word
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cell — a phone

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