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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. ball — a great time
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bear — the animal
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. scale — size or range
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. tube — a container
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. tube — the underground
  19. snap — to click
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. bear — the animal

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