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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. scale — in music
  6. scale — size or range
  7. saw — the tool
  8. tube — a container
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. saw — the tool
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. court — of law
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. court — for sport
  21. court — of a king
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. tube — the underground
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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