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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. perch — the fish
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. present — there
  9. mark — a trace
  10. present — the time now
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. mark — a grade
  13. scale — size or range
  14. ball — a great time
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ball — a dance
  17. pound — a weight
  18. present — a gift
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. rock — music
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. ball — a round shape

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