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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. cell — a phone
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. scale — size or range
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — moving air
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. cell — in biology
  13. rule — government
  14. bass — the fish
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rule — a law
  22. bass — low music
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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