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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. net — in sport
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bear — the animal
  11. net — after costs
  12. scale — size or range
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. net — for catching
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. stand — to bear
  22. bear — the animal
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. dip — to sink

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