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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. track — a song
  3. bass — the fish
  4. track — to keep track
  5. prune — to trim
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bound — tied together
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. scale — in music
  12. bass — low music
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. track — a path
  15. bound — obliged
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. bound — certain
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. cabinet — ministers

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