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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. pitch — completely
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. field — a subject
  8. scale — size or range
  9. board — a committee
  10. board — to get on
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. club — a group
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. tube — a container
  16. field — farmland
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. club — for golf
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. cap — of ice
  21. field — for sport
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. tube — the underground
  24. club — for dancing

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