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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. cap — a lid
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. scale — in music
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. bore — to tire
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. bear — the animal
  11. object — an aim
  12. bear — the animal
  13. object — to protest
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bore — to drill
  17. cap — a hat
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. prune — to trim
  22. object — a thing
  23. prune — to trim
  24. coach — a trainer

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