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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. scale — in music
  3. file — a document
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. file — a tool
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. stem — to come from
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bore — to drill
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. march — music
  18. bore — to tire
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. file — a line of people
  22. bulb — for light
  23. march — the month
  24. march — the month

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